If Revised Edition
by Yaoi Huntress Earth
Summary: Based on the American adapation of the manga. What if The Program took a different route by putting the kids into teams. It'll change some of them for the better and some for the worst, but who will be left when the dust finally settles?
1. Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION

During a bout of insomnia, a thought came to me: What if The Program put the kids into teams instead of letting them off on their own. After talking with some fellow fans on a BR forum, "If..." came into place. To help the reader along, I have included a list of the teams and the additional rules...

Red: Boy #15 Shuuya Nanahara, Girl#18 Fumiyo Fujiyoshi, Boy#6 Kazuo Kiriyama, Boy#4 Toshimori Oda

Blue: Boy#12 Yutaka Seto, Girl#11 Mitsuko Soma, Girl#13 Takako Chigusa, Boy#13 Yuuichiro Takiguchi

Green: Boy#1 Yoshio Akamatsu, Boy#11 Hiroki Sugimura, Girl#8 Kayoto Kotohiki, Girl#9 Yuko Sakaki

Yellow: Boy#19 Shinji Mimura, Boy#16 Kazushi Niida, Boy#9 Hiroshi Kuronaga, Girl#3 Megumi Eto

White: Girl#2 Yukie Utsumi, Boy#18 Tadakatsu Hatagami, Girl#1 Mizuho Inada, Girl#4 Sakura Ogawa

Black: Girl#16 Yuka Nakagawa, Girl#12 Haruka Tanizawa, Boy#2 Keita Lijima, Girl#5 Izumi Kanai

Purple: Boy#17 Mitsuru Numai, Boy#20 Kyouichi Motobuchi, Girl#21 Yoshimi Yahagi, Boy#21 Kazuhiko Yamamoto

Orange: Girl#17 Satomi Noda, Boy#10 Ryuhei Sasagawa, Boy#3 Tatsumichi Ooki, Girl#20 Kaori Minami

Pink: Girl#10 Hirono Shimizu, Boy#5 Shougo Kawada, Girl#19 Chistao Matsui, Girl#7 Yumiko Kusaka, Boy#8 Yoji Kuromoto

Grey: Boy#14 Shou Tsukikoka, Girl#15 Noriko Nakagawa, Girl#14 Mayumi Tendou, Girl#6 Yukiko Kitano, Boy#7 Yoshitoki Kuninobu

New Rules...

-Each team is given their own color-coded collars with their own radio frequency.

-If you kill one of your teammates or stray more than half a mile from your team, your collar will detonate.

-Your entire team does not need to survive to win the game, but it doesn't hurt.

-If there is no victor at the end of four days, all the collars will explode.

-If more than 15 hours goes by before someone dies, a random student's collar will detonated for every thirty minutes until someone gets killed or one team is remaining.

-For added fun, various traps have been scattered around the island, ranging from mildly annoying to fatal.

-All other rules will follow as mentioned in the manga.

Thanks for reading and I hope you like the fic.


	2. Chapter 2

"IF..."  
A BATTLE ROYALE FIC

Chapter 1: Another Chance to Die

_I can't find the rhyme in all my reason  
I've lost sense of time and all seasons  
I feel I've been beaten down  
By the words of men who have no grounds_

-What if, Creed

RED

Somewhere deep in Fumiyo's mind, she knew if The Program decided against putting the kids into teams she would've been dead. She wasn't sure why, but maybe it was that the closet people she could whisper to reinsure her of some kind of normalcy were Kazuo and Mitsuko.

Thank the Gods her red team (consisting of her, Toshimori, Kazuo, and Shuuya) were the first to leave. Fumiyo didn't know who much longer she could stand looking at that ghoul of a man with his puffy face sadistically grinning each time he saw a tear run down one of the students' faces and that slimy tongue licking his fat lips as he reminisced about raping that poor woman. And that voice, that horrible throaty voice of his that forced her fight down the bile that would swell up in her throat with every perverted comment he made. Even thinking of him sent a chill up her spine.

"I bet he'll be in the bathroom whacking it after he sends everyone off." Her thought stopped her in her tracks. Did she just think that? Sweet, helpful little Fumiyo acting like she was one of Mitsuko's girls. If her friends could read her mind: Yuko would jump back and be weirded-out for a half hour, Kayoto would be trying not to laugh, Yuka would be shocked but then high-five her for the great line (bonus points if did some pantomiming along with it), Satomi would call her immature and then bust up laughing when she thought no one was around, and the others would tell her how gross she was being.

Fumiyo gazed upon her team; everyone was so quiet. Sure she expected this from a dead log like Kazou and wasn't too surprised that Toshimori made a peep either. Frogboy never really liked talking to anyone anyway unless it was to make some snide comment to whoever was pissing him off. But it was Shuuya that was concerning her the most. Especially after the fuss he kicked up during Kamon's lecture; not that she blamed him. It almost seemed like every ounce of joy that he ever possessed was painfully drained out his body and entrapped him in his own thoughts.

"Wait." After fifteen minutes of walking, Toshimori's voice finally broke the dreary fog of silence that clung to them. "I'm going to put my vest on." He pulled out a bulletproof vest from his bag. It sure made the piano wire she was assigned look useless. "And you, leave." He said to her, pointing at a large rock ten feet away.

"She's got a name, Toshimori." Shuuya replied.

"Now ask me if I care. I'd rather not have her or either of you looking at me while I change."

Fumiyo fought back urge to say, "As if I wanted to go blind looking at your green, warty body." and walked over to the rock as Shuuya and Kazuo turned their backs. Oh well, it would give a chance to change her shoes. Even with The Program's overflowing cruelty they were at least nice enough to include her favorite pair of sneakers and a pair of socks in the blue bag they gave her. Man, she hated wearing those stupid dress shoes the school dress code forced the girls to wear. It wasn't her fault she had wide feet. Just as she was about to lace-up her shoes, she could feel something cold, dull, and metallic pressed against her throat.

"Don't say a word."

"Yutaka?" Fumiyo could recognize that high-pitched voice anywhere.

"I said, don't say anything!" Yutaka growled, sounding like a frightened child trying to act tough. He'd prove to that crazy bitch Mitsuko that he wasn't a wuss. He knew he should've been use to the title by now. Hell, even Mimura called him that when he got all panicky, but now it was different.

"Yutaka please, this isn't like you." Why did she have to say that; acting like he was still human? They were drafted in this stupid game. Kill or be killed. Screaming, calling him a monster, even referring to him as "chipmunk-faced faggot" would've been better than this. His hands began to shake like they were caught in a paint mixer.

_"So what are you going to do now wuss?"_ He swore he could hear Mitsuko's voice taunting and giggling at him in his head. _"Going to act all tough and kill your girlie-girl? She'd kick your pathetic ass."_

_"Shut-up!"_ Yutaka mentally screamed back at the top of his lungs as sweat began to pour down his face like waterfall. _"Don't you have some VD you need to be fighting off?"_

_"Nah. I'd rather see you make an ass out of yourself. You sure couldn't watch that bag of yours."_

Why did she have to right? He cursed the clumsiness that made him accidentally send his bag rolling down that hill. Even with Yuuichiro's offer to help, Yutaka went off by himself. Not just to prove his usefulness, but to get away from Takako and Mitsuko.

It was pretty obvious by her reputation alone that Mitsuko's beautiful face sent a chill up his spine, but there was always something about Takako that rubbed him the wrong way. He could just imagine Sugimura yelling at him for even thinking it, but try looking at her cold face and see how brave you are. Ok, maybe she wasn't as bad as the other girls on the track team made her out to be and Yuiichiro had offered his trust on an altar to the both of them when he wasn't blushing his head off.

_"Kill her."_

"Yutaka?" With his fork's grip against her neck weakening by the second, Fumiyo summoned enough courage to turn toward her would-be killer. A hybrid of pity and shock took over at the sight of him; his face, damp with sweat and tears, looked like someone drained all the blood out of his frail little body. On looks alone, she could almost swear that he was verge of having a seizure.

_"Just stab her real hard with that stupid fork of yours; even you could do that."_ Mitsuko's mental voice's cruelty and joy began to slowly melt away.

_"I...I can't..."_

_"Kill her you little shit!"_

_"I wouldn't do it!"_ Yutaka slammed the fork on the ground. _"I love her."_ He threw his arms around her, burying his face into her shoulder and sobbing. "I love you."

Letting her maternal instinct take over, Fumiyo followed Yutaka's lead and hugged him back. "It's alright." Her voice took a calm, soothing tone as if she never witnessed his attempt to kill her. He could feel one of her hands lovingly stroke his curly hair between the countless "I love you"s sputtering out of his lips. Could this be the love that Shinji and Shuuya were always talking about? Maybe fling was a better term in Shinji's case, but who knows; maybe he did love them at the time.

Fumiyo reluctantly broke the embrace. "Come on now, let's dry those tears."

"Thanks." Yutaka sniffled._ "Take that bitch!"  
_  
Flashing a smile that would put an angel to shame, she took his face into her hands and wiped some fresh tears with her thumbs. Inside she giggled like a child at Christmas, never realizing until now how cute that buck-toothed smile of his was before it contorted into a look of sheer pain as a horde of bullets pierced his side.

"You bastard." Shuuya yelled in her place since she locked in a state of shock fixated on Yutaka's corpse.

"You play to win. Kill or be killed." Even with Kazuo's reputation of emotionless ness, it shocked him that he didn't even blink.

"Kill?" Snapping back to reality, a rage slowly boiled inside her. "He had a fork for Christ sakes. He wasn't going to hurt me." He just stood there like he was caught in Medusa's gaze and turned to stone. He might as well have spit in her eye as she lunged at him with the piano wire from her bag and wrapped it around his neck. "Answer me, damnit!"

"Fumiyo, stop it!" Shuuya cried. "It's not going to bring Yutaka back."

"Go ahead." It was as if she wasn't doing anything. She tightened the wire's grip on his neck. He just had to respond now; even one little choke would've made her feel better. "Take yourself with me."

"This is what The Program wants, for us to kill each other. We can fight back."

"I don't care!" Maybe her collar exploding wouldn't be that painful; it would only take a few seconds to die. Not that it mattered now. Yutaka would be waiting for her with open arms; gushing out the "I love you"s that he showered her with only minutes ago. It was the first time any boy had paid attention to her like that. It just felt so special, so wonderful to hear that and now it was gone.

"I'm sure Shuuya and Toshimori wouldn't mind being left to fend for themselves." No, why did he have to mention them? Sure Toshimori was a conceited jerk, but even he didn't deserve to be put in this Hell. And Shuuya? Dear, sweet, optimistic Shuuya with his dreams of a non-violent defeat of the program. Her friends, especially Noriko, would never speak to her again if she broke his heart and abandoned him. Swallowing her pain, Fumiyo let the piano wire fall to the ground.

"He said he loved me." Her knees fell onto the soft grass as Kazou simply walked off. "He said he loved me."

"Vermin." A smirk formed upon Toshimori's lips as he watched the whole charade. Such weak, pathetic creatures these lower-class beings were.

BLUE

"No." Yuuichiro sighed as he, Takako and Mitsuko watched the last couple minutes from a hill far enough for Kazuo not to notice them before him and the rest of the red team left. "I should've gone with him."

"Then you'd be dead, too." It wasn't the comforting hug that Yutaka received, but the sympathy in Takako's voice was just as reinsuring. While he and Yutaka never really hung out all that much, it still felt like he was mowed down instead. How could Kazuo be so cruel? Not even a single twinge of fear, joy, or regret peaked through.

"It would be suicide to go after them." Images of that uzi of his haunted Yuuichiro's memories. If only he was a better shot he could put his .357 revolver to use and blast a hole in Kazuo's head before he had a chance to fire. Then he realized that he was not Alucard, Vash the Stampede, or Spike Spiegal and never would be no matter how hard he tried. Not to mention that Takako and Mitsuko got dealt rather crummy hands with just a sickle and an ice pick to back him up. At least he couldn't blame The Program officials for a lack of imagination. "As long as they have that uzi, they're invincible."

"Maybe not." Mitsuko mused. "They're strong, but not invincible."

"What do you mean?"

"Just look at them, they're all a bunch of ticking time bombs waiting to explode. If pushed in the right direction, they'll kill each other off."

Takako frowned. _"Just what do you have planned, Mitsuko?" _

End of Chapter 1, 40 students remain.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2: Color War

_I can't sleep beneath the trees of wisdom  
When your ax has cut the roots that feed them  
Forked tongues in bitter mouths  
Can drive a man to bleed from inside out_

-"What If," Creed

GREEN

This had to be the worst day of Hiroki's entire life. Being dragged into this sadistic little game and forced to witness his friend, Yoshitoki's, head being blasted open by that disgusting slug of man, Kamon. Why didn't he do anything? If he was really half the friend he claimed to be, he would've burst out of his desk and held Yoshitoki back. Then how the Hell was he suppose to protect Yoshio, Yuko, and Kayoto from similar fates?

Kayoto gave him a supportive smile when she looked at her green team's leader, the title they all had silently dubbed Hiroki with. Leader? Hiroki never thought anyone would look up to him like that. It was kind of flattering, proof that his years of martial arts training had made him strong in the eyes of others. Especially Kayoto, the girl he had loved more than anything and almost made The Program somewhat tolerable.

If only the situation wasn't so grim, he'd hold her in his arms, kiss her, and tell her how much he loved her. And as tempting as it was to forget about everything and act on his desires, he remembered they were not alone. He was pretty sure Yoshio wouldn't mind too much; maybe even find it sweet\romantic or even be a little jealous. Who knew how much of Yuko's faith would play into their little public display of affection. In a weird kind of way, Hiroki chuckled at the thought of Yuko fainting like a southern belle with a loud, yet dainty gasp.

Then another thought came, scolding him for his selfishness: Takako. His best friend, confidant, and source of strength ever since they were children. Was she ok? Was her team treating her well? Would he have the heart to fight her if they ever crossed paths? No, he didn't want to think about it. Takako would never hurt him on purpose.

An allegiance. Sure it was more of a Shuuya idea, but then he wouldn't have to worry about hurting her. Him and Yutaka were friends so he'd join in right away and Yuuichiro was a nice enough guy and his friendship with Yoshio would help convince him. As for Mitsuko...damn it, even if she agreed, she'd be more than willing to tear their team apart from the inside. There went that idea unless she was killed off by the time they got to Takako.

"Any ideas?" Yoshio's voice broke his train of thought. The large student turned to him, all quiet and his attention focused on Hiroki. Hiroki had expected him to be too enthralled with his Game Boy Advance to notice anything (unless The Program decided not to return it to him). Instead he already had his crossbow prepared, ready shoot anything suspicious. Perhaps being on a team without a bully in sight was helping to keep him from snapping and sniping people from the roof of the nearest building.

Hiroki looked at his tracker. "Maybe we don't have to fight at all. As long as we have this, we can avoid the other teams and hope that they finish each other off." The others gave him their silent approval. Even little Yuko who was filled with so much nervous energy that she looked like she was going to explode and take her entire team with her. "There's somebody coming, we got to get going."

_"But, what about Takako?"_ Kayoto thought while she got up from tree stump she was sitting on. _"Aren't you in love with her?"_

WHITE

It was quiet, too quiet to be exact. Mizuho's head darted around every half minute to make sure no one was going to pop out. She swore she heard the pitter-patter of another team's feet as soon as they arrived. An obvious sign that her Ivory Crusaders were truly blessed if the others were fleeing from their presence.

But when to let her teammates in on this wonderful blessing. Not like anyone ever believed her; even Kaori and Megumi humored her out of friendship when an idea struck her so hard she had to let it out. For now she would keep her mouth shut and gradually drop hints until they began to accept her visions of their glorious destiny.

Still nothing out there. How much longer could her Ivory Crusaders' luck last? Not all of the teams would be as scared so something just had to jump out sooner or later. From Mizuho's guess it would either be out of the koi pond they just passed or as soon as they ascended the wooden stairs going uphill.

She returned her focus to her fellow crusaders. Sakura had gained a few feet ahead of the others; probably so she could be the first one to greet her boyfriend if they ever came across him. Inada sighed at the girl's head being so far in the clouds until Sakura's right leg instantly sunk into the third step.

"Sakura, oh my God." Yukie gasped. "Tadakatsu, help me get her out." Both of them choose an arm and pulled her up.

"Stop it. You're hurting me." Tears of pain poured from Sakura's eyes as she buried her face into Tadakatsu arm. He was no Kazuhiko, but if she closed her eyes and convinced herself that her boyfriend instantly gained some extra muscle mass, she could pretend that he was.

Ceasing their rescue attempt, they looked down on the trap step; damn thing had a horde of barbed wire waiting inside and greed fully holding on to Sakura's leg.

"Shit." Tadakatsu growled. "This is what they must've meant when they said there'd be traps." Before any of them could think of a clever enough idea, Mizuho pointed Sakura's kitana right at their faces.

"Mizuho, you're a genius." Sakura beamed.

Inside her mind, Mizuho smiled proudly as Yukie began cutting away the wire. What would they ever do without her?

YELLOW

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Megumi asked as she peered over Shinji's shoulder as he hacked away at his laptop.

"Of course it will." Shinji gave her a flirtatious wink that made her giggle. Megumi could just imagine half of the girls in their grade squealing how much they hated her for being on the same team as Shinji without another girl on their team to share him with. And if his plan to hack into The Program's security system worked, this horrible game would be over before her family had a chance to worry. "Have I ever let you down? Besides, we got this baby to protect us." Shinji flashed his Desert Eagle at them.

"Damn. All I got were these brass knuckles." Hiroshi said with a little envy as he pulled his assigned weapon from his bag.

"I know," Megami's diver's knife felt so little and pathetic compared to Shinji's gun. "The girls get better weapons my foot."

"Hey Kazushi," Shinji turned to his last teammate. "What did you get?"

"This." It was humiliating enough that he got a wire coat hanger and was dumb enough to show them, but did they have to bust up laughing? "Yeah, yuck it up douche bags."

"Chill out Kazushi. If we come across a giant killer fetus, we'll call you." Shinji put his hand on Kazushi's shoulder between a fit of laughter.

"Attention little warriors." Kamon's voice blared over the loud speakers that littered the island.

"Great," Kazushi groaned. "What does that prick want?"

"I know it's a little early, but I just couldn't help myself." Kamon was acting like he was fighting back the urge to spill out a juicy piece of gossip. "The Program and I would like to give a big congratulations to Boy#12, Yutaka Seto, for being the first one to give his life for our new game."

"Shinji, I'm so sorry." Megumi was about to put her around him, hoping that the hugs her grandma had always given her when she was upset would work.

"I should've been there." The rapidly growing tenseness in Shinji's body was more than enough to send her reeling back.

"Don't say that. There was nothing you could do."

"Given the ungrateful youth of today," Kamon mused while loudly chewing his lunch. "It's nice to know that there still are plenty of young people who respect the law."

"Bastard." Thousands of scenarios of the possible deaths his best friend could've met flashed in Shinji's mind. Why Yutaka? What did he ever do to anyone? He had feelings, hopes, fears, loyalty and all that shrimpy fuck could do was smack his food like a pig while announcing his death.

"Shinji?" Megumi gulped at the tremors of rage erupting from his body. _"Please don't kill yourself. Don't kill us."_

"Bastard."

"Yeah man, you ok?" Hiroshi tried to stay his normal tough, calm self only to find that he was becoming the same ghostly pale that Kazushi was turning. Hiroshi cursed himself for acting like Ryuhei, but he couldn't help to let the collective fear of the others take control over him. At least that's what he told himself.

"Fucking bastard!" Seizing the laptop, he slammed it against the ground with all of his might. Even though Shinji was far from a wimp, the others couldn't believe the amount of strength he possessed to shatter laptop in so many unrepairable pieces. "It's too good for him."

"Too good?" Kazushi glared at Shinji with an equal amount of rage. "I have a life, Shinji, and I plan to keep it, dead midget boyfriend or not."

The temptation of yanking Kazushi by the collar of his uniform and yelling at him to take it back screamed in his mind, but he stopped and realized that couldn't afford it, especially after that little outburst. Stay frosty. Stay frosty. Now was not the time to snap, his team needed him. Taking a breath, Shinji immediately calmed himself down. "I have a better idea.

ORANGE

"The death calls will continue as usual."

"Ha! Pay up!" Ryuhei stuck his hand in front of Tatsumichi's face as soon Kamon's announcement was over. He growled, pulled out his wallet, and placed twenty dollars worth of yen in Ryuhei's hand.

"You two are so sick." Kaori gave a disgusted look at them as Ryuhei happily counted his newly acquired wealth; easiest twenty-dollars he ever made.

"Shove it, zit-magnet." He shoved the yen in his pocket. "I almost betted on you."

"Hey, I got a gun and can blast a hole in anyone." She waved her gun at him. "Especially you."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever dog girl."

"Both of you, shut-up." Satomi sharply turned, pointing her Uzi at the both of them. "Do you want everyone to hear us?"

The two immediately shut their mouths and backed off. _"Aren't we a little dominatrix today?"_ It was a popular term among Tatsumichi friends at his old school to describe some of the bitchy, aggressive, yet rather pretty girls in their class. Lucky them, they didn't have to be put through this Hell where a new kid like him was devoid of emotional attachments to the other students and could easily be done away with.

He did feel like a heel for making that wager even if his bet, Yuuichiro, was the first one to take a dirt nap. It just helped to ease the tension of the game and get some support points with Ryuhei. Not that he'd want to hang around with the little thug if he had the choice, but it would at least take a bit of the expendable factor off of him. Besides, a simple machete could never stand up to horde of bullets.

PINK

Out of all of the millions of colors in the world, Shougo wondered why he had got stuck with pink. And not just any pink, it had to be the most disgustingly cute version the officials could come up with.

"You know, we don't have to fight." Yumiko's voice broke his train of thought.

"What?" Yoji asked, fingering his collar with the secret hope that it would fall off.

"That's what they want; for us to play their sick little game and look what it did to Yutaka."

"And what do you suggest?" Shougo sighed. God, there had to be at least one of her in every game.

"To get everyone together." At least she got Chisato to give her an interested glance; so far so good. "If we can get to that tower over there and call for peace, we can get enough people to over throw the program. And nobody else will have to suffer." Yumiko felt herself get more excited with each word. "I'm sure someone left a megaphone around there somewhere. And..."

"Yumiko."

"Yes?" Good, another person interested in her plan. This was turning out better than she thought.

"That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my entire life. You'd get shot full of holes the second you opened your mouth." Just when she was about make an argument, she stopped dead in her tracks. Damn, why did he have to be right?

Ignoring Yumiko, Shougo turned his map over. "Anyone got a pen?"

"Got one." Chisato pulled out her Hamtaro pen which shared the same cutesy-poo pink as their collars. Kawada sighed and began writing the names of the other teams and their members so they would know what they were up against.

Hirono leaned back against a tree, clicking the safety on her gun, as Shougo began drilling Yoji and Yumiko with questions. As long as there were no surprise attacks Hirono could pretend that she was sitting in a park by herself.

"You don't mind if I sit here, do you?" Chisato asked, pointing to the tuft grass next to her.

"Knock yourself out." In hopes of alleviating her boredom, Hirono attempted to spin her gun on her finger like the cowboys in those old western movies.

"Hirono, why do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"The stealing, the drugs, the bullying. Why do it?"

"What are you, the Morality Squad?"

"I'm serious. You and your gang always taking money from Kaori? She's never done anything to hurt you."

"It hurts to look at her." Chisato frowned. "Listen girlie, if you're to get all self-righteous, go bother Mayumi. At least I admit it."

"What does she got to do with this?" That certainly took Chisato back. While the always prim girl kept to herself, Chisato secretly admired her grace and excellent manners.

"With the all the creepy old men she whores herself out to, she's only five blow jobs away from competing with Mitsuko."

"How do you know that?" Hirono just had to be lying. Bad girls like her were always saying stuff like that to cover their tracks. But for some reason she had a hard time believing that.

"I have my sources." She said with a laugh.

GREY

_"That little bitch."_ The words simmered inside of Mayumi's head as her grey team made their way through abandoned lot. _"Buddha knows who she already blabbed it out to. Wouldn't be surprised if that whore, Mitsuko, is already making plans to blackmail me."_

Maybe if she was lucky, she could silence Hirono before she revealed her little secret. Slut, liar, hypocrite would be branded on her within seconds after her reputation of shy, elegant purity came crashing down. All she was doing was being dropped off at the park by her date. Ok, so he was balding, had beer gut, and old enough be her father, but it wasn't her fault that she was pretty enough to catch his attention from the other girls in her employer's catalog. It was never any worse than third base and he always gave her a little extra. And lo and behold, that hawk-haired bitch had to ruin everything just as he gave her a good-bye peck on the cheek.

"Mayumi." Hirono chirped, ran over and hugged her like they were the best of friends. "How're you doing girl?"

"Oh. Hirono. I didn't expect you to be here." It took all Mayumi's inner strength to keep from strangling her.

"Say, who's this handsome guy with you?"

"This is...my Uncle, Tenchi."

"Hi Uncle Tenchi." Her squirming egged Hirono to jack-up the cuteness to a syrupy sweet level. "I'm Mayumi's best friend, Hirono." She gave his hand a hard, friendly shake; ignoring how his eyes were fixated on her tits. "You know, you got a really great girl there. So prim and proper. I swear she doesn't even belch, fuck, or anything."

"Hirono." Mayumi almost growled.

"Yes?"

"It was nice talking and all, but Uncle Tenchi and I have to go." Grabbing the back of "Uncle Tenchi's" t-shirt, she dragged away. "Now."

"Chou."

"Say, is she available?" He whispered as soon as Hirono was a block away.

"No!"

Oh when Mayumi finally got her finely manicured hands on her. Hirono would pay for embarrassing her even if Mayumi had to shove her nunchucks down her throat sideways. It would be no use stealing from Noriko and Yukiko; both of them got even more screwed-over in the weapons department than she did. Let alone acting all sweet and helpless to convince Shou to let her use his derringer. Unless Hirono got stuck with a set boxing gloves or something equally useless, she'd have to pray for a better weapon.

_"Yumiko, where are you?"_ Even though she felt like a baby for mentally calling out to her friend, Yukiko couldn't help it. Yumiko was always the strong one who kept stray dogs and mean girls away from her and helped her when she got flustered. And now she was thrown into a hellish war zone with a dart set, a grey exploding collar, and three other people she hardly knew. It would've been four if Yoshitoki had survived, but it was no use thinking about him now.

She had to be strong and keep from crying as if Yumiko was there. It would break her best friend's heart to see her face all wet and puffy. _"Just got to be strong. Can't cry. Just got to be strong."_ The words ran over and over in her head. The two of them had plans: to be the first girls in their families to go to college, go to Tokyo for a major shopping spree in June, even name their first-born daughters after each other. She just couldn't give up, not until this horrid game was over and she got to see Yumiko one last time.

Just the thought alone, lifted her spirits. She could do this. They'd be reunited and maybe their teams could form an allegiance to put those monsters behind the game in their place. So far, so good. There was no way Yukiko Kitano was going to be a burden to her team. Just as long as she ignored the high-pitched, rapid beeping that arose from the crates around her when she activated that trip wire...

"Yukiko! Get out, now." Shou's warning flew right over her head. Why did she have to take the back? Everyone else was a good ten feet from the crates and now she was going to die.

"Yukiko, please." Noriko begged with an equal amount of fear as if she was trapped in there with her. Bah, what did she know? Noriko wasn't the one who was letting Yumiko down by being completely paralyzed with fear as a mass flood of tears were running down her face.

"I...I...ca...n't..." It was so simple, just muster-up whatever courage she could still scrape together and run like hell before she was blown to kingdom come. But why couldn't she do it?

"Listen sweetie," Shou extended his right hand toward Yukiko as if she had been pushed into a muddle puddle and got her favorite dress dirty. "just take my hand and I'll pull you out."

It didn't seem that hard. It wasn't like she was thrown in with one of the other thugs in Shou's little group where they'd probably try to feel her up the second she pulled out her hand. She just had to trust...

"No. Stop it." The chattering of her knees and teeth were overriding her hearing to the point that she couldn't even think, let alone hear anything her teammates were shouting at her. Plugging her ears with her fingers wouldn't make it go away. All she wanted to do was live and nothing was letting her.

Shou gave an "aw, screw it" sigh, rolled up his sleeves, and was ready to grab her.

"I'm sorry." Yumiko muttered just before one of the crates exploded, consuming her and sending her teammates flying back six feet. They'd get over any injuries, but at least she'd never have to feel hers.

End of Chapter 2. 39 Students Remain.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3: Fade to Black

_What if you did?  
What if you lied?  
What if I avenge?  
What if eye for an eye?_  
-"What If," Creed

Even though he was against the team idea at first, Kamon was glad that he was wrong. Having two to four less kids possibly survive would cut down on the angst and pain that fueled his enjoyment of The Program, but to see that poor Noriko girl breakdown into a fit of tears when a girl she hardly knew was blown to bits had its own charm. The pain that her teammates shared was like tasting a delicious new flavor of ice cream.

"Well gentlemen," Kamon said as he pulled out a bag of marbles from his jacket pocket. "In honor of the new rules I thought it be fun to try out a new betting system."

"Really?" One of the guards smirked. "Or are you just sick of losing all the time?"

"No." Even the laughter of his co-workers couldn't spoil his good mood. "Now I would like everyone to draw a marble from the bag and whatever color you get is the team you're betting on." He pointed the bag toward the smirking guard who decided to humor him.

"Uh, what does this cat's eye marble with the red x on it mean?"

"That no one wins and they all kill each other off." Kamon said casually as he drew a black marble. He made a face and put it in his pocket.

"Looks like you got screwed."

"Not really. Who knows, stressful situations can sometimes bring out the best in people."

BLACK

"Come on, you got to let me have it." Keita reached for Yuka's pistol only to get his hands slapped by the chubby teenager.

"Get your own, creep."

"Come on." While hints of his panicyness had begun as soon as the black team left the building, it went into overdrive as soon as Yutaka's death was mentioned. If he got any worse, he'd be on the verge of a seizure. "All I got is this stupid knife; is that fair?"

"No. It's not." Haruka snapped. "Izumi and I got lousy picks too so stop complaining." She poked him in the nose with her traffic baton, shutting him up for now.

Izumi breathed a momentary sigh of relief, treasuring the next few seconds of peace until Keita's panic attack reared its ugly head again. Damn, it was like babysitting and not getting paid while the parents drove-off, never to been seen again.

Why did this have to happen? Daddy was great friends with some of the government higher-ups, why couldn't he pull some strings to get her class out of the program? Or at least arrange it was she wouldn't get stuck with a crappy toy mallet. She'd been in situations almost as bad as this and he was always there to make sure she escaped unscratched. Or maybe he didn't know that this had happened and/or he tried to get her out and failed. No, it couldn't be that. Daddies are strong and smart, ready to save their little princesses in peril. He's probably got some mercenaries on white horses ready to save her.

But what about Kyouichi? His father was the head of the environmental council and he was still stuck in this stupid game with her. If it wasn't him and the students weren't put on teams, she probably would've taken his place, begging how she didn't belong here. She wouldn't be the shivering mess the school president was of course. Daddy made sure that his little girl was braver than that.

Great, Iijima was starting to shake again. Even Kyouichi must've calmed down by now. "Geez, why did we get stuck with the dweeb?" Izumi unknowingly said out loud.

"Because you touch yourself at night." Yuka's voice took on a playful, ghostly tone like one of those cartoons where God is speaking to the character.

"Damn it Yuka." Izumi tried to say while suppressing her laughter. "You're going to make me pee myself." Haruka briefly turned her head at the two, sighed, and then chuckled.

"Just pretend some guy you like is into that stuff and go ahead."

"You're terrible."

"I try." Yuka's reputation has succeeded once again; Izumi felt a lot better. "I hear Mitsuru wants you."

"Probably just to "grease-up his pole" like he wants the other girls to do." Izumi did the voice of a skuzzy old man during the "grease-up his pole" part.

"I don't think so. He hardly ever says that stuff to you."

"He'd be better than what we're stuck with." An image of Mitsuru plowing through the rest of the students like a blood-frenzied Rambo (outfit and all) flashed in Izumi's mind.

"Maybe he could take that toy mallet of yours and knock him out for the rest of the game."

"Hey! Would you two stop talking about me like I'm not there?" Keita growled.

"Nope." They giggled in unison.

_"Bitches."_ Who were they to go around acting all brave? It's not like they were the ones with the dead friend. Just one gun shot and they'd run off screaming their self-righteous little heads off. If he just had Yuka's gun he could prove to them that he wasn't a loser.

And there was his chance: fifteen feet away stood Noriko. Her back turned to them and oblivious to everything behind her. The bushes around her obscured his view of any of her teammates, not that it really mattered to him. Heck, they could all be done way with; this was his chance to prove himself.

"Keita! No!" Haruka's screams were too late. He snatched Yuka's pistol from her hands and had already blasted a hole in her head.

"You prick!" Any cheer that remained in Yuka's vicinity instantly drained away at the sight of the back of Noriko's skull being blown apart. "See, that's why I didn't want you touching my gun."

How dare they yell at him. He saved their lives and this is the thanks he's getting? How often was it when he brave for someone? Even his ex-friend, Shinji, never got to see it, but no, those bitches can't appreciate it. They'd probably want him to curl-up and die as if he was some kind of annoying parasite.

"Shut-up you fat bitch!" Keita turned on his heels and blasted a large, bloody hole into Yuka's forehead.

"Keita..." They still wouldn't shut-up. Damn collar was giving a warning beep. No, not until he could get their silence; then he'd welcome death. As if he had done this a hundred times already, he put the third bullet into the side of Haruka's head and soon a fourth into Izumi when the combination of Shou's derringer and his collar exploding stopped him and caused the pistol to go flying out of his hand and into the nearest rain gutter. He was so close. Damnit, he was so close.

_"Thanks a lot creep."_ Izumi thought the very second Shou sent a bullet right into her liver and hit the ground with a loud thud. She wasn't sure how she managed to survive this; it wasn't like she had any intention of being a doctor or anything. It was just something about digging through a bunch of organs that grossed her out.

"Ew." Mayumi gasped, turning away from the bullet-ridden bodies of the Black Team while fishing through their bags.

"You think you'd get use to it." Shou grimaced at the blood and bits of brain oozing from the bullet holes that freed them. The last few seconds of Noriko's short life flashed inside his mind.

Poor girl, Yukiko's death hit her harder than he thought it would. Yet, there was a kind of inner strength that kept her from going catatonic. Probably some kind of school girl crush from what he could guess.

But which guy? Sure she ran to Nobu's aide, but she'd probably be suicidal afterwards. Noriko just never really struck him as being all that strong-willed. She didn't seem like she'd be one of Shinji's bimbos and Takako would kick her ass if she tried to cop a feel off Sugimura. Not that he could blame her for going after either one of them. Kazuo has his own admirers who went for the silent bad boy cliché, but that was about as likely as her drooling over him. Shou almost laughed, strangely flattered at the thought until the grim reality around him killed it. _"How do those cute army men stand it?"_

_"Why wouldn't they go away?"_ Izumi could feel every drop blood pooling into a small, crimson puddle. _"Am I going to have to bleed to death or something?"_

"Did you find anything?" Even with her thoughts of getting back at Horino couldn't stop Mayumi from feeling a pang of sadness at the dead bodies around them. She went back to searching through the girls' blue bags to take her mind off of it.

_"That little bitch."_ Izumi fumed at the sight of Mayumi taking her favorite blouse, holding it up to herself, and stuffing it into her bag. "_She is so dead."_

"You'll be glad to know that our team wasn't the only one who got screwed-over." Shou pulled out Izumi's toy hammer; it gave a cute little squeak when he hit it against one of the bags. "Let's just take the rations and go fish-out the gun."

For what seemed long enough for her to bleed to death seven times over, Shou and Megumi finally divided up the food and their backs were turned long enough for Izumi to escape. If she remembered correctly, there was a hospital about a mile or two away. And if she ran fast enough, she could probably make it in time before she ran out of blood.

After 5 minutes of running, Izumi realized that this was not going to work. When her gunshot wound wasn't giving her Hell for running, her throat would begin to burn as if she hadn't taken a drink in a month. Why wasn't daddy here to tend to her wounds and give her a glass of water? He was always there for her before. Why wouldn't The Program let him help her?

"Good afternoon little warriors." No not him. "As I promised, I have today's death call..."

Wait, who's that? Fumiyo Fujiyoshi, the nurse's aide, she'd know what to do. Sweet natured Fumiyo, there'd be no way that she'd be playing the game and if she was, all Izumi had to do was threaten to choke her.

"Girl #6 Yukiko Kitano..."

_"Shut-up you prick!"_ Just a few more feet...

"Girl #15 Noriko Nakagawa..." She heard a branch snap under her feet. No big deal, it wasn't like it wouldn't catch the attention of anyone like...

"Kazuo!" Izumi gasped at emotionless boy and his uzi. This isn't fair! Stuff like this wasn't suppose to be inflicted on people like her. Outside the occasional slip-up, she was a good girl.

"Girl #16 Yuka Nakagawa, Girl #12 Haruka Tanizawa, and finally, Boy #2 Keita Iilijima."

"Kazuo, no!" Alas, Shuuya's cries of justice were too late; Kazuo had already pumped Izumi full of holes.

"Opps." Kamon chuckled. "We got one more student joining us, Girl #5 Izumi Kanai."

End of Chapter 3. 34 Students Remain. The Black Team is eliminated.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4: Son of the Big Man

_I've seen the wicked fruit of your vine  
Destroy the man who lacks a strong mind  
Human pride sings a vengeful song  
Inspired by the times you've been walked on_

-"What If," Creed

RED

"Damn it!" Shuuya could almost see Noriko's face looking back at him as he finally turned his gaze from Izumi's corpse and toward her killer. "What the Hell is wrong with you?"

"How predictable." Kazuo sighed, examining the barrel of his gun as if it was the first time he ever saw one.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you."

"What is it?" Such a child; like the little brother Kazuo never had. Shuuya Kiriyama, it just didn't seem to go together all that well when he thought about it.

"How can you play their sick little game?"

"It landed on tails." Shuuya gave him a dumbfounded look. "A toss of the coin. Heads I take your route and fight back against the establishment. Tails I throw caution to the wind and partake in the offering."

"So that's why you wanted a coin." Shuuya mood began to dampen as his cold, stoic words brought a chill up his spine. "

Their blood has stained the both of us, Shuuya. You have to clean your hands before you dab at mine."

_"Bullshit. You would've found another way if you had the chance you heartless bastard."_ How Shuuya wished to scream the words raging in his head. To take-off on Fumiyo idea and wrap his hands around the boy's neck and squeeze until his eyes popped out not unlike what Kazuo did to that gym teacher. He could almost sense Yutaka and Izumi nodding in approval; just begging for him to avenge their deaths. Or at the very least, wipe that disgusting smirk off Toshimori's face.

Shuuya had never said a cruel word to him and all that little toad could do was physically gloat every time he was knocked down a peg. _"Damn."_

"There was nothing you could do." Fumiyo put her hand on his shoulder and wiped the tears that were welling up in his eyes as Kazuo and Toshimori went off to search the corpse. "We just got to wrestle him to the ground before he has a chance to fire." Yeah, as if that was ever going to work. At least it cheered Shuuya up a bit. She just knew that for the rest of her life (depending on how merciful The Program would be to her) the sight of a man's tears would break her heart.

"Thanks." He smiled back at her; feeling a little stupid for his lack of strength. "It's like yelling at a brick wall with him."

"But you just don't want to give up."

"Exactly." He almost wondered if she was saying this just to make him feel better, but tossed it aside when she returned his smile with a supportive one of her own. Just like that chubby-faced bone china doll his mother never let out of her sight when she was little girl. She was kinda pretty in her own way despite how ugly Shinji said she was.

"I'm sure Noriko would've wanted it that way." The look of shock and what Fumiyo guessed was a bit of offence made her want to smack herself in the forehead. "It's just that you looked like someone shot you when her name was announced."

"I promised myself that I protect her."

"I'm so sorry. You must've really loved her."

"I probably should have."

"Hey losers. We're going now." Toshimori called out as soon as he and Kazuo's attempt of looting the body proved useless. "Pronto."

BLUE

Yuuichiro know that just one mistake could instantly transform his plan into a suicide mission. He just had to trust Takako encouragement and that Yutaka and Shinji's friendship was strong enough to convince the Yellow Team to let them join forces. Such an odd couple: Shinji, one of the cutest and slickest boys in school and Yutaka, the chipmunk-like class goof. It wasn't all that different Yuuichiro's own friendship with Tadakatsu when he thought about it. One would think that it would be much more likely that Tadakatsu would be beating him up for his lunch money, but it wasn't. Yuuichiro would make it a personal effort to go to all of Tadakatsu's games and cheer for at the top of lungs and Tadakatsu was more than happy to wait in line and watch whatever hit anime movie Yuuichiro dragged him to. _"Hope you're doing ok out there."_

Back in the real world, he watched Shinji and his team attempting to break into a tool shed with the binoculars that Mitsuko swiped from the watchtower they passed an hour ago. For someone who Yuuichiro heard was such an evil, irredeemable slut, at least she was nice enough to think of her teammates.

"It's now or never." He said with a nervous sigh as picked up a long, sturdy stick about the length of his forearm. "Now for the flag. Do either one of you have handkerchief or something white I could use?"

"Here." Mitsuko plopped a folded-up piece of cloth into his free hand.

"Thanks Mitsu..." All of the blood in Yuuichiro's body made a hasty retreat into his face the second he unfolded her donation; lacy, bikini-cut panties.

"What's the matter, don't you like them?" Mitsuko's face morphed into an innocent, mock hurt.

"No-I mean yes. Th...they're very nice." His mind began to wander, wondering what was underneath that pretty little skirt. No. Don't think about that, he wasn't some sick pervert like Kazushi or one of Kiriyama's cronies. Nice boys aren't like that.

"Good." She burst out a mischievous giggle. "I picked them especially for you."

Out of a hybrid of sympathy for Yuuichiro and disgust towards Mitsuko, Takako relieved him of the panties and tied them to the stick. "I hope this works."

She chucked a nearby rock into the right side of the shed; good, it got their attention. "Don't shoot." She called out, waving the panty-flag and feeling kind of stupid.

"Takako?" Shinji lowered his gun slowly as the blue team arose from the bushes they were hiding in with their hands up. He half expected Takako and Mitsuko get sucked into the game and start offing people after dumping off a bound and gagged Yuuichiro so he couldn't interfere. Bound by Takako and Mitsuko, it would be fun when he thought about it.

"We're not playing." Yuuichiro said as Takako undid the flag and tossed the panties back to Mitsuko who couldn't help making a face at his comment. "We just want to help you get out of here." Shinji glared at his teammates. He was sure none of them would be stupid enough to go shouting out their plan when his back was turned. "I knew there was no way you'd bow down those guys. I bet you already got a plan to get out of here."

Reading his mind, Megumi tore a blank page from her diary and handed both to him. The blue team gave him a puzzled look as he haste fully scribbled something down.

_Do you want them to hear us? These collars are rigged._

Yuuichiro nodded after him and the girls read the page. He made a gesture to barrow Shinji's pen and began writing on the back of his map.

_So are we in?_

Shinji felt one of Megumi's small, dainty hands pull on his uniform while the other pointed at a large willow tree not too far from them.

_Don't tell me you're going to let them in. Hardcore Souma will rape and kill us the second our backs are turned._

Good thing she decided to bring her colored pencils with her. The idea of using an individual color for each of her moods when writing made Megumi feel unique compared to the other dairy writers out there. And she didn't even have to wait for a pen to be passed around if she had something to say.

_You make it sound like a bad thing. Stop being so paranoid._

The bright red letters of Kazushi entry were nearly shoved into her face.

About to lift her colored pencil to make a rebuttal, Megumi stopped herself. It just wasn't worth scolding him.

_Besides, it would mean wasting time to make an extra raft._

_What? You don't want the extra help? I'm sure they'd be more than happy to reward us. _

_Hey, simmer down you two._ Shinji held his diary page toward them. _What do you think, Hiroshi?_

Great they're staring at him; expecting Mr. Nobody to say something. Not even the rest of the Kiriyama family bothered for his opinion except ask him to join when he beat-up that kid from Class A who use to call him a fatass. And that was just the way he liked it. When you spent most of your life as a wallflower, you start to get use to it. Nobody bothers you or makes you their personal punching bag. And now the rest of his team were all focused on him. _"Come on Hiroshi, think. You want them to believe you're retarded?" _

_If we die at least it we'll have something hot to look at._

Shinji let off a small laugh. Good, now they wouldn't be bothering him (for now.)

_Too bad Megumi, majority rules._

_"If she castrates you in your sleep, don't come crying to me."_ Here's hoping that all those rumors about Mitsuko were just like the lies thrown at her sister.

PURPLE

_Dearest Yoji,  
Please meet me at the koi pond. Kyouichi has a plan to get us out of here and I don't want to leave without you.  
Love,  
Yoshimi _

_"It's just too perfect."_ Kyouichi mused as he emptied the water from the bottle The Program left in his bag. The little ho's handwriting was ridiculously easy to forge. Just wrap the message around a small rock, throw it at Yoji, wait for him to come and BAM, one less contestant to worry about. Father would definitely approve of his plan and it sure would teach her to reject his leadership.

What did that future cellmate Mitsuru have that he didn't? Did he spend at least one sleepless night a week to make in on the honor roll? Already apply to some of the best universities in the country? Realize that he'll never be good at any sport despite how hard he tried? Stuff all his anger inside like a good citizen no matter how many times daddy called him a faggot?

_"No fags for the big man."_ The class president knocked the empty bottle with his foot. "Damn it." Scrambling to pick it up, he turned to Yoshimi. "Would you come with me?"

"Get it yourself." She took a swig from her bottle and set it on the ground for him to kick. "Hey! That was my water you fag."

Another bolt of rage was fighting to get out of him. "Never mind. There should be a koi pond near by."

If it was almost any other girl in his class, he'd feel like a heel and not take her with him to see her boyfriend not get shot full of holes. Hell, what did those two idiots know about love; giving it away freely like they did? The Big Man cleared him up on that years ago. Love was something you earned regardless of blood, friendship, or marriage. Momma failed to get it through her head and the police found her mangled body from jumping off the roof of their house. Mommy was getting old and ugly and no man would stay faithful to that. So don't go crying over her little boy; the Big Man wouldn't want that.

PINK

"That prick." Hirono fumed, digging through her bag for any sign of her gun. She just had to get tired of carrying it and drop it in there. "The second I find him, I'm kicking his fucking ass."

"That's not all he took." Yumiko's face was still rather puffy from crying the second she discovered her best friend's fate as she dug through her bag. "Five of my grenades are missing as well."

"He sure thought of everything." Shougo grunted as he read "Yoshimi's" note. "No wonder why he wanted to help set-up the trip wires so badly." He sighed and crumpled the letter. "We better go save the idiot."

Chisato nodded. "The koi pond shouldn't be to far from here." She just had to remain optimistic; Yuka would've wanted it that way. Yet she just couldn't help worrying over what Yoji would look like after Hirono got her hands on him.

PURPLE

"You go ahead. I'll watch and make sure no one sneaks up on us." Kyouichi handed Yoshimi the bottles and walked off into a large bush. Any minute now that idiot will be here. Now what would he do first? Hug her? Kill her? Drop his pants and yell "Come here baby?"

If he only paid more attention to Yoji, he could perfect his plan; the Big Man never liked sloppiness. It's too late now, Yoshimi was already squealing with delight at the presence of her boyfriend.

"Yoji!" Accidentally knocking the bottles into the pound, she sprinted toward him as if it had been eons since they last saw each other.

Yoji opened his arms, his mind completely filled with leaving this accused game with his girlfriend in tow. Sure there was that familiar nagging feeling that use to pop up when he was younger and had the urge to throw rocks at girls, but he always managed to tell it to shut-up with little resistance. All that mattered was Yoshimi. The first girl he ever kissed, made love to, and saw before as three bullets went through his chest and tore his heart to pieces.

"..." Yoshimi froze like a catatonic statue, her eyes fixated on the spot where her lover once stood, too scared to look down at his corpse. It was the best outcome Kyouichi could hope for. He didn't have to hear her whine or risk getting beaten-up by her. The Big Man would be so proud.

"That's pretty damn low." The click from Shougo's drawn shotgun, forced him to turn his head. Damnit! Why didn't he think about the rest of Yoji's teammates following him? He was one of the smartest kids in his school and there he was about to get his head blown off by the rest of the Pink Team.

_"Faggot, faggot, faggot."_ It was almost as if the Big Man was right behind him, breathing down his neck. The smell of his father's illegally imported cigars filled Kyouichi's nostrils, forcing him to fight back the urge to vomit.

"Kyouichi, please." Yumiko's hand was shaky as she held a hand grenade, ready to throw it at him. Stupid bitch, she'd probably forget to pull the pin and look just as stupid as him. Too bad Hirono wouldn't be dumb enough to make the same mistake with her box cutter held securely in her right hand. And Chisato...wait a minute. Where was she?

"Drop your weapons!" Chisato let out a nervous cry as Mitsuru's hand squeezed a little tighter around her throat and the barrel of his gun dug against the side of her head.

No, no, no! How dare that thug upstage him. "Hands in the air." He even has Chisato crying and the rest of the team at his mercy. "Yamamoto, get Yoji's gun and get Yoshimi out of here."

"Come on, let's go." Yamamoto's voice overflowed with kindness as he put his arm around Yoshimi and lead her into the woods with the gun safely nestled in Yoji's bag.

"Hey. My gun!" Hirono cried.

_"Some children do their parents proud."_ The Big Man grunted, looking at Mitsuru, the wonder son he should've had, with pride inside Kyouichi's head. "What the hell are you doing here Mitsuru?"

"Saving you from getting your head blown off." The wonder son turned to the pink team. "On your knees."

_"Execution style, that's my boy."_

"Shut-up dad." Kyouichi muttered under his breath. _"What did you say faggot?"_

"I SAID SHUT-UP!" Pulling out his gun, Kyouichi blasted a hole right into Chisato's torso.

"What the fuck? Are you insane?"

"What's the matter Wonder Boy? Don't have your little hostage anymore? No way I'm going to let you take all the credit." He turned his gun toward the Pink Team. "Stay down!"

That aught to get the Big Man's approval, all two members on their knees. Wait a minute? Two? Where did that little punk bitch run off to? Before he could even reply, a loud choke erupted from Mitsuru's lips as Hirono revealed herself with one of Chisato's dry cleaner bags over his head.

"No..." Tears formed in Yumiko's eyes as she peeked over at the sight of the once tough Mitsuru frantically clawing at the bag. _"He can't breathe!"_ Talking sense into her would be useless; she had already slammed her knee twice into his rib cage to knock Chisato and the air out of him.

Chisato landed with a thud. If the blood wasn't already causing her to keep from completely freaking out, she would've scrambled for Mitsuru's gun and return fire on Kyouichi for shooting her.

"Now to finish the job." Ding-dong the wicked wonder boy was finally dead and Kyouichi couldn't be happier. Now to take them all out starting with Chisato. "No fags for the Big Man."

A heavy blast rang inside Chisato's ears as she turned her head to see her would-be killer laying in a pool of his own blood with his stomach blown open. Shougo looked like a towering god with his shotgun held firmly in his hands, gazing down on Kyouichi and then turning to her. Without a word, he pulled off his jacket and held it against her wound to sop-up the blood.

"Thank God he didn't hit anything vital." He immediately reloaded his shotgun, handed it to her, and hoisted her in his muscular arms. "Hope you're a good shot."

"I'll try."

"We got to get her to the hospital. Grab their weapons and bags and let's go."

End of Chapter 4. 31 Students remain.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5: Sanctuary

_My stage is shared by many millions  
Who lift their hands up high because they feel this  
We are one We are strong  
The more you hold us down the more we press on_  
-"What If," Creed

PURPLE

"Good evening Little Warriors." Yamamoto tightened his arms around a sobbing Yoshimi. Poor girl, who would've thought that bad girls could morn death? Yoshimi always seemed to put up such a tough front, but then he wondered if just maybe her heart really wasn't into it. Compared to Mitsuru's sexy adult features and Hirono's punk look, she seemed more cute, almost innocent, than dangerous. "Today's victims are: Boy #8 Yoji Kuramoto, Boy #17 Mitsuru Numai, and Boy #20 Kyouichi Motobuchi. Let's see...one, two..." Yoshimi was trembling again at the sound of her boyfriend's name. "Eleven students. Not bad. Not bad at all. Keep up the good work."

"Pig." Yamamoto said under his breath.

"What did you say?" Her walls of toughness now shattered around her, Yoshimi pulled herself from his chest.

"Nothing. Now let's dry those tears." He pulled up his sleeve and dabbed at the wet spots. "We can still make it."

She simply looked up at him. If she could, she'd kick herself for being such a wuss. Mistsuko would never let her live it down. Maybe even kick her out, leaving her alone to face the wraith of every kid she bullied.

"I'll protect you, Yoshimi. I promise."

She smiled fully. It was almost as if her bad girl reputation never existed at all. "Yeah. Let's go."

WHITE

"So what do you think?" Yukie asked as the rest of the White Team gathered around her, gazing upon the lighthouse she lead them to. All the endless walking, bland rations, worry over loved ones, and creeping paranoia was starting to wear on them all.

"Wonderful." In Sakura's eyes it was almost like the gates of Heaven itself. Her team was so patient in putting up with her constant hobbling from that trap, especially poor Yukie. Sakura was thankful that most of her closest friends were in other classes, but the possibility of having to kill them and finding out that three of them were already dead would've sent Sakura into a crying fit. But Yukie was much stronger than that. She held back her tears as best as she could and kept going on for the sake of their team. _"If I could only be as strong."_

"We can rest here, get something to eat, gather some of the other students, and find a way out of here."

"Yep." In Mizuho's eyes, things just couldn't get any better. This was divine favor from the gods themselves. A fortress that would shield them from anything The Program could throw at them, bestow gifts of food and shelter from the rain, and serve as a beacon of hope for the other students that they'd have no choice but to rally under their banner. It sure would be good to see Megumi and Kaori again. "The Ivory Tower will protect us."

"What?" Tadakatsu and the others threw her a weirded-out look as she felt her dreams of divinity beginning to crumble away.

"I just thought it would be fun to give it a name. You know, our collars are white and so is the light house." There was brief pause. _"Please let this work." _

"I like it." Sakura and Yukie nodded in agreement. God, that was too close.

"Come on," Yukie signaled for her team to follow her into the Ivory Tower. "Let's discuss our plans over some nice hot soup."

GREEN

_"Dear God, I try to be good."_ Yuko squeezed her praying hands tightly to the point that it made her knuckles hurt. "_I really do."_ There was nothing but silence, but her faith stayed strong. Pastor Min had always said that God talks to us silently, taking in our hopes and fears, and guiding us to the right course of action that we have to handle ourselves.

Maybe that was the reason her team had yet to come across anyone. Was this part of his plan? To influence the government to put the kids into teams so less innocent lives would be taken? And would that mean that Noriko, Yuka, and Haruka's deaths were to drive her team on and live for them? No, she didn't want to think any more about this. She was scared enough as it is. It was almost embarrassing how she burst into tears to the point she could hardly move when hearing of their deaths. Like her loving parents, the rest of the team tried to calm and reinsure her that things would be okay. They all knew it never would as the ground beneath them would run read with the blood of their classmates, but it didn't matter. She could still feel the hug Kayoto gave her as they both cried over their friends' deaths and Hiroki and Yoshio's large, comforting hands holding hers until she felt secure enough to walk by herself.

Yuko discretely pulled her vial of cyanide from her bag and tucked it into her bra. It was a good thing her uniform top was so loose and billowy that she could just keep her weapon on her with no one being the wiser. _"No one is going to hurt my angels, no one."_

BLUE and YELLOW

As grateful as Takako was for the chance to get off this stupid island, why did it have to be with Kazushi? Great, the perv was seductively licking his teeth like he always did every time she walked by him and it never failed to make her stomach churn. Even after three years it still got to her: secretly rub his crotch in front of her in class (of course she was the only one who noticed it), bragging to his teammates how he "fucked that bitch hard," and every sick, suggestive comment he made. Yet if she were the one to punch his lights out, she'd be the one in trouble. Sure there were rumors of girls in other schools getting felt up with their teachers and men who would cop a feel off women in the subway. They had it worse, but still, why couldn't his collar just explode and put him out of his misery?

She felt a piece of paper being placed in her hand.

_Takako, are you ok?_

Yuuichiro greeted her with a shy smile when she turned her head. Pushing aside her repulsion towards Kazushi, she attempted to smile back, but it came off as awkward and forced. He pressed his diary pages against the concrete bellow him and scribbled something on sapphire blue colored pencil.

_Is Kazushi bothering you?_

She nodded. Sadly, all of her speediness went into running; rendering her handwriting to a snail's pace. At least the quiet gestures suited her and got the message across. He couldn't help feeling a little sad for her; it was his greatest weakness (next to Hayao Miyazaki films) to see a girl unhappy. Lord knows that every female cousin of his were using it to their advantage to get whatever they want.

_I'd like to think that even he's not dumb enough to try anything._

Takako stopped in her tracks as a week-old memory came flooding back: the image of one of fellow track members hugging the rim of one of the toilets. If it was any other girl, she would've dismissed it as the after effects of partying too much. But Kyoshi was a nice girl, so pleasant, so caring and probably one of the few girls in the entire school who didn't think Chigusa was some "robo bitch" that had to be avoided lest you got caught in her icy grip.

"Kyoshi?" Takako said, trying not to startle her. Her trackmate responded by throwing-up again. The loud, wrenching sound forced Chigusa to step back with a similar sick feeling in her own stomach.

"Why did he do it?" Without looking up, Kyoshi threw her arms over the toilet lid and buried her face into them.

"Who?" She kneeled down beside her sobbing teammate, hoping that she was doing the right thing. While empathy was never her strong suit, all it took was one glance at Kyoshi's pale, shameful face to realize who did it.

_"You bastard."_ Back in the present, Takako failed to notice that she was crumbling her diary page. Why didn't she do something about it? Given Kyoshi's reputation as a recovering compulsive liar, there was no way anyone would believe her. And all Takako could do for her was get her cleaned up and throw in some extra angry glares at Kazushi whenever they made eye contact. She tried to convince herself that it was all she could do at the moment and now she was stuck working side-by-side with the creep. Maybe kicking him in the balls after school like she originally planned wasn't such a bad idea after all.

_Here, I want you to have this._

Takako's eyes widened to the size of DVDs at Yuuichiro's offering; a S&W M19 .357 magnum. "But you..." It was like he was casually offering her his last cookie at lunch. _"How can you be so naive?"_

_You need it more than I do. Besides, I'm a lousy shot as it is._

She gave him a silent thanks and relived him of his gun. Its raw power that could easily take an innocent life almost frightened her. She could easily put anyone in their place by raising her voice alone and could probably get a few good hits against some of the boys in her school. But did she have the guts to partake in her new offering? The temptation was already egging her on to try it out. No, she wouldn't cave in. Maybe just shoot near the pervert's feet to teach him a lesson and that's all. Even vengeance wasn't worth losing the chance to get out of this nightmare.

_I already loaded it for you. I just hope that I wouldn't have use it. _

_Same here._

The two parted ways and went back to finding some more rope for Mimura's plan.

PINK

It all felt too weird; like some horrible crack-induced nightmare running in Yumiko's head. The death, the insanity; these weren't the kids she went to school with. She sorta expected Hirono to act like a cold-blooded killer, but Kawada. He just went through the entire game without a single tinge of fear as if he did this for fun. Sure there were rumors, but Yumiko paid much attention to stuff like that.

"Got it." Hirono cheered, finally getting the front door of the hospital open after spending the two longest minutes of her life picking the lock.

Chisato grasped Kawada's shirt even tighter, burying her head into his chest to keep her mind off the blood rapidly leaving her body. She had been inflicted with smaller cuts that had sent her into a total panic at the mire sight of her own blood, but this time it was different. She had someone to hold and protect her through the whole ordeal. A boy that held her despite the blood and danger around him.

She eased her grip on Shougo, her prince. Childish, but she couldn't care less. It was the light of hope that always shined through in the darkest of situations; just like the ones in those romantic fantasy novels she loved so much. Hirono could be the wily rouge, Yoji the mercenary who died for love, and Yumiko as the white witch. She sighed, now she was being crazy.

"What's your blood type?" Shougo asked, kicking the door shut behind him.

"Uh...oh. AB."

"Good."

"Hirono, I need you to get me as many blood packs as you can. And try to duck under any windows you come across; the less the other teams see of us, the better." The spiky-haired girl nodded, dumped the contents of her bag on the floor, and ran off. He turned to Yumiko. "I need you to lock and barricade the door."

Yumiko only nodded and went on her way. Just how did he know about all of this? With the way all the other students were acting, nobody could be this competent. And it sure didn't help that Hirono had allied herself with him so quickly.

"Wait a minute..." The thought struck her as she started pushing on a near by desk. _"Didn't Shougo transfer?"_ The school was pretty tight-lipped about it, but there had to be a reason. Was he a government soldier in disguise, a delinquent like the Kiriyama family, a closet psycho who entered the Program for fun? There was no time to start probing for answers for now, but she'd get her answers come Hell or high water.

End of Chapter 5. 31 Students remain.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6: The Best Laid Plans

_What if you did?  
What if you lied?  
What if I avenge?  
What if eye for an eye?_  
-"What If," Creed

WHITE

As the White Team sat by the kitchen table with Yukie's map placed in the middle, they all realized that mixing Chicken and Stars with tomato juice made for a horrible combination. But it was not the time to be picky; there were more important things to worry about.

"Since there's two guards to each boat, we may be able subdue them." Yukie drew a line from the lighthouse to the nearest guard-filled edge on the map.

"What if the others find out? They could just chase us down." As much as Tadakatsu didn't like being a kill-joy, The Program had killed anything resembling a positive mood for him. He didn't even want to attend the stupid overnight trip and look where it got them. Can't bitch about it now; he just had to hope that Yukie's plan worked.

"That's what the other students are for; we'll divide everyone up and take on the soldiers all at once."

"And hit them hard and fast." Mizuho ceased dunking the stars in her bowl and drew out Sakura's kitana. "You can't act upon what you can't hear." A rush of divine power coursed through Mizuho's veins as she delivered a spinning slash at the air. Sakura sure was lucky to get such a cool weapon. Guns were nice, but it just didn't grant her the true power that only a bladed weapon could provide. It was as if she could take on the entire world itself with her newly dubbed "Celestial Sword" and her Ivory Crusaders at her side. All she had to do now was ignored Sakura's disturbed look, their true destiny can begin.

ORANGE

They were picked clean, every single one of them. To see her friends laying there with their brains oozing out of their skulls wasn't the only thing that made Satomi's blood boil, but the fact that their bags were torn open with the contents thrown aside and picked clean. Not a single tinge of sympathy for who they once belonged to.

"Scavengers." Satomi mumbled as she shut the eyes of her friend just like she did for Keita, Kyouichi, and Mitsuru. Damn, no one was safe from this game. The glare of insanity in Kyouichi eyes and fear and desperation as the dry cleaner bag sucked itself into Mitsuru's face even sent a tinge of fear into the guys' hearts. Even with his little outburst, Satomi assumed that Kyoichi would be able to keep from snapping. And Mitsuru, Mr. Tough Guy, was reduced to the state of a frightened child the second that bag went around his head. "We're fighting back."

"What?" The declaration threw Kaori back ten feet.

"I said we're fighting back." Satomi rose to her feet.

"Yeah, we're gonna kick their fucking asses." Ryuhei cheered; he was starting to like Satomi more with each minute.

"Are you insane?" Memories of friends being pumped full of holes plagued Kaori's head. "Our friends are out there."

"So were mine," Satomi's mood darkened. "And look what happened to them. And the rest of them could be playing the game; forgetting that we even exist."

"But..." She turned to Tatsumichi. "Come on, Tatsumichi, you understand what I'm talking about."

"I guess." Letting out a defeated sigh, she knew he was only trying to make her feel better.

"Fine." Just maybe if she wished hard enough, Satomi would forget about the whole thing.

BLUE and YELLOW

The Blue and Yellow teams were just a pulley away from setting Yutaka's Revenge into action. When Yuuichiro thought about it, the name fit their plan perfectly and then left him with his guilt coming back to nag at him. If he just insisted on coming along with Yutaka, could it have all been prevented? Then what would Shinji call his plan? Shinji's Revenge? Or maybe nothing at all.

_"It's like they all ran off in advance_." Yuuichiro sighed, everywhere they looked was devoid of pulleys or they were the wrong size.

"Such a brave boy..." Mitsuko's sexy, soothing voice felt like a siren's call against the hours of silence both teams had endured. One of her hands wrapped itself around his just as he was about to retrieve his diary page from his pocket.

"Screw the paper." His blushing had died down as he got use to being around Mitsuko and Takako. It was a relief, too, he felt like such a dork every time it happened. There was still a little red here and there, but far from enough to make his face look like it was sunburned.

"What are you talking about?" Yuiichiro's voice dulled to a whisper.

"The alliance, giving Takako your gun; if it were me I would've killed them off from the inside a long time ago."

"It's because I trust them." Yuuichiro stopped himself. "Ok, maybe not Kazushi and Hiroshi, but you got to give people a chance. Innocent until proven guilty."

_"Cute. Did you come up with while polishing your little halo?"_ Was this boy for real? Why wasn't he drooling over her, making lewd comments or offering favors for a "peek of pink." She wouldn't be surprised if he had wet dreams of Shou when she thought about it. "Don't you remember? Kill or be killed."

His eyes gave off a tinge of pity. "That's what they want us to think. Pick on whoever is weaker, work yourself to death, judge everyone, The Program's no different. I mean, except that you have to kill people."

"..."

"It's just like with Megumi's sister. Some of the boys on my block use to harass her until she cried just because she they thought she was a whore."

"Do you trust me?"

"Unless you prove otherwise."

"So innocent." Mitsuko's lips curved into a sad little smile, kissed him, and she walked off.

_"Stupid Kazushi."_ After looking over her shoulder for the fifth time without a single pervert in sight, Takako decided that the coast was clear enough for her to finally answer the call of nature behind a small grove of trees. Just a little more effort and Shinji's plan (if it worked) would get them out of this Hell. "You'd think he'd get the point by now."

Even in this death trap he made another pathetic attempt with the promise of getting a motel room and showing his appreciation for her help. God, when was that prick going learn? Hiroshi respected her privacy and he was a thug who beat up other kids and once stole three-hundred dollars worth of fishing tackle. At least she had the chance to do something, no matter how mundane, in peace.

"Time to go back." She sighed, pulled up her panties, and got slammed face- first into a tree by Kazushi.

"Sorry about your face," Takako felt the cold, hard steel of Yuuichiro's gun (that he swiped the second she hit the tree) pressed against her neck and the blood from her nose running down her face. His whispering was like needles scrapping along the flesh of her ears. "But you've said no to me for the last time."

"Let me go you son of a bitch!" Grabbing a handful of her hair with his free hand, he yanked her close enough for his tongue to lick the back of her ear.

"Yeah right." Even imagining that it was Hiroki who passionately sniffed her hair did little to ease her stomach. "All I have to do is blow a hole in that pretty little head of yours in self-defense. Everyone knows how much the big bad robo-bitch hates me and having that slut on your team isn't going to help you either."

"Damn you." Don't cry, it'll only egg him on. For a brief second, her scalp stopped hurting from her hair being so greedfuly pulled. Any hopes she had of Kazushi conscience getting the better of him were dashed to bits as he seized the front of her top, pulled her so their faces met, and kissed her hard. _"Hiroki..."_ It was no use, no amount of imagination could convince her that it was him. Her dearest friend would never hurt her while sticking his slimy tongue down her throat.

She felt her lips bruising from the impact of Kazushi, her gag reflex moments from being triggered, and now the taste of blood splattering into her mouth and Kazushi corpse falling to her feet. "Mitsuko, what are you doing here?"

Her teammate gazed with an emotion that Takako couldn't quite recognize as Mitsuko wiped her sickle that had previously been imbedded into the back of Kazushi skull against the grass.

"You lying bitch." Megumi yelled, her eyes fixated on the blood oozing from her teammate's head. "Hiroshi, grab her."

"Shit." Takako grumbled, attending to her nose bleed.

"I knew you'd try to destroy us." Megumi's hands trembled in a mix of anger and fear as she held out her diver's knife. Those idiots just had to let their penises do their thinking for them. Maybe if she was a skanky, big-boobed sexpot they would've listened to her and Kazushi would still be alive.

"Megumi, stop it!" Yuuichiro tried to wrestle the knife out of her hands.

"Let go you little dweeb." Summoning all of her strength, she snapped the knife out his grasp, accidentally slashing his face.

That sweet, innocent face of his. It'd probably scar thanks to that little bitch. Mitsuko brandished her sickle; screw the allegiance, it was time to pay Megumi back. "Nice try, bitch." Out of nowhere Hiroshi flanked and sent one of his fists right into the her stomach.

"Shut-up, all of you!" Shinji shot a bullet into the air. "What the Hell is going on here?"

"They killed Kazushi." Megumi turned to her team's leader, pointing at Kazushi's corpse.

"He tried to rape me." She pointed fiercely at her nose. "You think I did this to myself?"

"Bull. You were totally sucking his face."

"Why you little..." Oh how tempting it was to grab her by her shirt and scream into her face.

"Don't take it so hard, Takako," Mitsuko said between wheezing for the air that was knocked out of her. "It's not Megumi's fault that she doesn't want to share her little Shinji-Poo with any of the other sluts out here."

Megumi's face flared up. "Th-that's not true."

"Then I guess you don't go to his games just so you can stare at his ass."

"Hey, it's a nice a...Shoot her, now."

"Both of you, please." Yuuichiro ran in front of his teammates. "We can talk this out."

"Fine." Shinji turned to him. "We'll start with Yutaka's death and I want the truth this time."

"I told you, he lost his bag and ran off."

"Why didn't you stop him?"

"He wouldn't let us. By the time we got to him, he was already dead."

Shinji gazed back at him, then Kazushi, and the rest of the team. "Fine." He lowered his gun. "You have a five minute head start and if we find you again, all bets are off."

"I see." Yuuichiro went back to help the girls get back on their feet.

"Mitsuko," Mitsuko turned toward her teammate. "Why did you help me back there?"

"Because he reminded me of my father."

PINK

Since neither her nor Hirono had any medical experience, it was decided that it would be better for them to sit in the waiting room. Yumiko had never been much of a fan of The Housewife Journal, but it sure beat pacing around the room worrying her head off.

_"Oh, that looks so good."_ A decadent chocolate mouse and peanut butter cake drew her in. _"Yukiko would just love it."_ She impulsively began to tear the page out and stopped in her tracks as the memory of Kamon's announcement came to haunt her. _"Damn them." _

"Yumiko?" Hirono who was laying on her back on the floor with her feet propped up on a chair. "You alright?"

"I just remembered something, that's all." She wiped her tears with the back of her hand; her teammate just shrugged and went back to her copy of Pop Idol.

"I wonder if ol' Pizza Face knows that her precious Junya just got engaged to his manager."

"I didn't know you were into pop music."

"That stuff's for fags. Now metal, that's real music. I have a cousin whose in the black market music business. Sure I can't understand what Rob Zombie or Fear Factory are saying, but it's worth it. They could be singing about bunny rabbits and taking their grandmas shopping for all I know."

"Hirono, Yumiko." Shougo walked in, ignoring how bloody his shirt and hands were. "You can see her now."

The two ran off like a child meeting their beloved father coming home from work. "Chisato, thank god you're alright."

Chisato smiled back at Yumiko from the stretcher she was sitting on. Her bloody uniform was ditched in favor of a white, puffed, short-sleeved blouse; imitation leather sandals, a pair of clam- diggers, a bright, colorful butterfly hair clip; and a torso covered in bandages. "Thank Shougo for that." A dreamy look flashed in her eyes when she said his name. "You two wouldn't have a mirror would you?" They shook their heads. "Oh. It's not on crooked, is it?" She adjusted the hair clip.

"What are you talking about? I thought you liked Shinji."

"Hey, I'm a girl, I can change my mind."

"I'd fuck him." A sly smile crept upon Hirono's face.

It didn't even help to ease Yumiko's discomfort. "Doesn't it seem a little weird that he knows so much?"

"Maybe he's just smart." Chisato's love-struck demeanor began to fade.

"Or how he could shoot Kyouichi without flinching."

"I killed someone and I don't see you bitching about it." Said Hirono.

"Well...You're a thug, it's expected of you."

"Oh. So only goody-goody little prisses are allowed to have feelings?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?" Shougo's sudden presence caused Yumiko to jump. Regaining her courage, she fearlessly turned toward him.

"What I mean is what are you doing here? You sure seem to know a lot for someone who was held back a year."

"Yumiko, you leave him alone!" Ignoring Chisato, she went on.

"How could you know about ducking under the windows or setting the trip wires?"

"Maybe because I played the fucking game last year." He pointed to the scar on his face. "And spent nine months in the hospital, reading survival manuals, knowing that my father, girlfriend, and classmates were dead."

"I..." Yumiko head went down like a guilty child. "I'm sorry."

End of Chapter 6. 30 Students Remain.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 7: Dead Weight

_I know I can't hold the hate inside my mind  
'Cause what consumes your thoughts controls your life  
So I'll just ask a question  
What if?  
What if your words could be judged like a crime?_  
-"What If," Creed

ORANGE

Bad little doggies always ruined everything. Kaori wasn't sure which member of her team set the trap off, but if she ever found out, she'd throttle them. Breaking into all those garages in hopes of finding a cooler or some soda and jarred goods seemed like such a good idea at the time. She already drank all her water and the food was starting to get low. They all annoyed each other at one point with their fantasies of Fresca, chipped-off ice that could be melted to keep the water from running out, frozen fish sticks, canned goods that could be chopped open with Tatsumichi's machete, and any other goodies that popped inside their heads.

Then it happened. Maybe if they weren't so fixated on their stomachs and the radio next to a shelf full of homemade preserves blasting opera music they would've paid more attention to all the crates littered across the concrete floor. Just as Satomi was stuffing her face with a bag of frozen baby peas, a buzz emitted from the crates as their mechanical locks opened the front ends, allowing the rabid dogs inside to burst out. If all six of them hadn't surrounded them, the diseased, half-starved creatures would've been pitiful. You just had to hand it to the Program to put their heart into this sick little game.

"Get behind me." Satomi commanded, drawing her sub-machine gun and blasting two of the dogs full of holes.

A lot of good she did otherwise couldn't protect her from the bad doggies. Kaori dragged herself across the grass, her legs now bloody and useless.

"Don't you even think of it." The memory of Tatsumichi seizing and yanking Ryuhei back the second it looked like he was going to bolt played itself in Kaori's head.

"I got a paper fan. Yeah, I'm going to be real fucking useful."

Tatsumichi sighed, "Here." He plopped his machete into Ryuhei's hands, made a mad dash toward the shelves, yanked the radio from its socket and chucked it at one of the dogs. It collided with its head, giving Tatsumichi a few seconds to start launching some of the preserves before it was no longer disoriented.

That's when things took a turn for the worst. Why did she have to be such a lousy shot? At least one of the bullets went though one of the doggie's front leg and another grazed it's shoulder, but it was far from enough to keep it from sinking it's teeth into one of her legs, causing her to lose her balance and hit her head on the ground.

She wasn't sure what a concussion was like, but it probably felt like the moment her head collided with the floor. A damp feeling pooled-up behind her head, heightening her anxiety to the point that she forgot about the gun in her hands. Before she could even think, the doggie had already began biting and tearing into her face and the right side of her neck.

_"Stop it! You're going to make the collar explode."_ Kaori wrapped her hands around its neck in a losing battle to choke the life out of it. The blood pouring from her hands where the doggie was biting her made its neck feel like it was covered in grease. It wasn't fair. She promised herself that she would get to see her beloved Junya during his summer tour and now she was letting him down.

Suddenly, a strange battle cry rang in her ears as the doggie's skull was split open over and over. Turning her head up, she almost believed that Ryuhei was performing his good deed of the year until she saw an utter rage in his eyes that could rival that of any villain in a slasher flick. It was as if that doggie was the source of every angry, frustrated feeling he ever had. He finally stopped when Satomi and Tatsumichi finished off the rest of the doggies and got their heads out of their asses for ignoring her. Kaori wasn't sure if what Ryuhei was wiping eyes was either a tear or sweat, but then again, everything was spinning around her.

At least Tatsumichi was nice enough to pull her out from under her attacker and might've even carried her to the hospital if that bitch Satomi didn't follow the doggies' lead. Nice girl her ass. Just one look-over by their fearless leader was more than enough evidence for Satomi to make her decision.

"I'm sorry." Their leader simply turned away with a tinge of regret hidden under her stoic demeanor. She dug her bag of baby peas out of the freezer, signaling Tatsumichi and Ryuhei to follow her lead.

"So that's it? You're just going to toss me aside just because I got hurt?" Kaori attempted to fight back in a losing battle to keep from getting dizzy from the concussion and the loss of blood.

"You'd only slow us down." Satomi placed three cans of soda into her bag as if the whole situation was nothing more than a shopping trip. It made it hurt a lot less than already did.

_"Come on K-Gal,"_ A beautiful, familiar voice rang in Kaori's head. _"You're not going to let them treat you like that are you?"_

She followed the voice to her pendant. "Junya?"

_"That's me."_ He laughed kindly. _"There's no way I'm going to let my biggest fan die."_

_"You're right."_ He really did care; her dear, sweet Junya Bestest. With him on her side, there was no way her team would abandon her. Kaori's legs trembled like a new-born calf attempting to walk for the first time. "Oh no you don't." She grabbed the handle of a nearby garbage can for leverage and pulled herself up. "I'm going along with you."

_"You tell them K-Gal."_ They just had to listen to her. As long as she could get the bleeding to stop and someone helped her walk, there'd have no choice but to take her with them. Together they would stand, divided they would fall.

"Nice try." Satomi pointed her sub-machine gun on Kaori; her demeanor was no different than it was before.

"Oh yeah right, Satomi. Kill me and your collar goes off as well."

"I know." She lowered her weapon and pulled the trigger, shooting enough holes into her teammate's legs to render them useless.

"What the Hell?" Tatsumichi gasped in horror. The bloody mess that was once Kaori's legs had branded itself into his mind.

"Come on, let's go."

"What about Kaori?"

Satomi's face grew a little sad for a moment. "Forget about her."

"Y...you bastards!" Tears fell from Kaori's eyes as her teammates turned their backs on her one- by-one. "You can't do this to me."

Ryuhei stopped in his tracks and ran toward her; at least one of them had a heart. Her tears became ones of joy as she extended her hand to him. In his own messed-up kind of way he did save her from that doggie so maybe he wasn't the prick he showed to the world.

"Got it." He picked-up her bag and gun from the ground before rejoining his team.

_"Bastards. They're all bastards."_ Back in the present, Kaori had managed to drag herself out of the garage, thankful that Satomi left the side door open.

_"Chin up."_ She could almost feel Junya give her a reinsuring hug. Intentions aside, it sure wasn't making her feel any better. _"They can't stray this far without paying for it."_

"Of course." Why didn't she think of it before? Kamon said the collars would explode if someone strayed too far from their team. Just a few more steps and boom, they'd all die in a hopefully painful and gory mess. Kaori gave an ugly laugh at the fear in their eyes as their collars would furiously beep just like hers was doing at this very moment. "See you in Hell, Satomi."

GREEN

Yuko let out an ear-piercing scream the second her eyes fell upon Kaori's collar exploding and nearly blowing her head from her neck. Nothing had changed, people were still dying and no amount of running was going to fix that. The logical parts her brain had shut themselves off, allowing her to keep screaming her head off even as the rest of her team ran to her side.

"Yuko, please," Yoshio clasped one of his hands over her mouth and used to other to grab one of her arms to keep her from running off. "Someone's going to hear us."

Hear them? As if that was going to make a difference. It sure didn't help Kaori, her friends, or even some of the tougher kids from dying. If Kazushi and Mitsuru could be killed-off so quickly then this was truly the Devil's ground. Her angels didn't even stand a chance.

Her mind broke into a frenzy as she sank her teeth into Yoshio's palm, inflicting enough pain for him to scream and loosen grip for her to escape. "It's no good." Yuko's voiced toned down to a frantic shout. "They'll kill us all. They'll..."

"Yuko. Would you shut up?" Kayoto slapped her across the face after every other word. Everyone around Kayoto was shocked at her sudden rashness until she realized what she just did when Yuko gazed at her with a mix of fear and blank stare. "I'm so sorry." She threw her arms around Yuko and held her tightly. One of her best friends just saw some girl's neck explode and she just had to slap her. Not to mention that the guys probably thought she was a total bitch. _"Stupid, stupid, stupid!"_

"No, I deserved it." Yuko gently pushed Kayoto's arms aside and turned to Yoshio. "I was the one who was being all rowdy."

"It's ok." As long as he didn't look at the blood and ignored how loose the flesh that she nearly bit-off was, it wasn't so bad. "It's only a flesh wound."

He was lying just like her daddy did when she accidentally smashed his hand with the front door. Yuko dug into her blue bag, took out a pair of clean socks, and wrapped them around his bloody hand. "There we go. Good as new." A slight blush colored his face when she gently kissed the bandage. "I'll try not to scream next time."

"I think we all need to a little more careful." Hiroki added. "We're lucky no one heard us..." The sound of distant footsteps and the pinging of his tracker caught his attention; four red dots were making their way towards them. His face turned bone white seconds after he ducked into some near by bushes to get a better look. "No...not him. It's Kazuo, he found us."

Yuko snuck off to take a peek; it was like staring at the Devil himself. Those cold, emotionless eyes burned with a single-minded determination, not caring who got in his way. His uzi clasped firmly in his hands, begging to pierce the flesh of angels. His minions lagged behind, but even if they were on God's side, they'd have no chance in stopping him.

"Go. I'll hold him off." She tossed her bag to Hiroki and picked-up two large stones from the ground. "I wouldn't let them hurt you."

"But..."

"JUST GO! It's all I'm asking for." Their leader gave her a sad, silent thanks as they ran off. They had all been so kind; too kind if you asked her. But that's just the way God is and this was the only way she could repay him. "Hey, Demon Boy," She launched one of the stones at Kazuo, hitting his bag. "You want me, I'm over here!"

She launched the other rock and ran off. _"That's it, Demon Boy. Just follow me."_ She peered over her shoulder then stopped in her tracks; he was nowhere to be seen. _"No. Oh God, where is he?"_ Just before she could call him out, Kazuo sprang from the bushes, jump kicking her in the stomach.

"Where are they?" His cold, soulless voice twisted Yuko's stomach into knots. Was this what it was like to be greeted in Hell with the Devil's foot on your chest as he held an uzi to your head? "I said where are they?" He dug the end of his heel just bellow the middle of her rib cage.

She gritted her teeth at the pain. "Go back to Hell, you monster."

"Leave her alone, Kazuo." Shuuya silently thanked whatever true God(s) were out there watching over them; no one was going to die this time. He rushed over to Yuko's side, that cheerful, trusting smile hardly eased her fears. "We're not playing, Yuko. We just want them to join us." It hurt that she flinched when he wiped the blood off her mouth with his sleeve. She just had to trust him. "I promise we wouldn't hurt them."

"Shuuya's right." Fumiyo was panting like crazy as her and Toshimori caught up with them. _"I am so out of shape."_ "You got to trust us."

"Liars." Yuko pointed finger at Kazuo as if she was running him through with a sword. "He'll destroy the angels."

"Angels?" Toshimori chuckled cruelly. "I thinks she means those idiot teammates of hers had enough collective brain cells to abandon her."

"They're not idiots! They care about me; God sent them."

He rolled his eyes. "Would someone just put the little psycho out of her misery?" Toshimori couldn't help smiling as Kazuo mindlessly obeyed and pointed his uzi right at her forehead, ready to fire.

"No!" Shuuya seized the stoic teen's arm, yanking it hard enough to force him and his attention off Yuko. "Not this time." She just had to listen now. This would surely be more than enough to convince Toshimori and Kazuo to stop playing and help the rest of the students off this island. With his enthusiasm, Fujiyoshi support and healing skills, Toshimori's cunning, and Kazuo's brilliant mind, the Program wouldn't know what hit them.

"Get behind thee Satan!" Yuko's freed her weapon from her bra and launched right at Kazuo's face. His infernal scream was music to her ears as the cyanide ate at his eyes and face, traveled into the cuts the glass bottle made in his skin, and the pain made him loose his balance and unknowingly fill her stomach with lead. "Carry on, my angels." She muttered as she shut her eyes one last time.

"Shuuya, hold him down. I'll see if I can clean this stuff off." Fujiyoshi pulled her water bottle from her bag; only a third of it left. It was no good. She turned to Toshimori who had just opened his second bottle and began drinking. "Give me you bottle."

"You're a big girl, get your own."

"GIVE ME THE BOTTLE NOW YOU FROG-FACED PRICK!" Shocked by her sudden display of vulgarity, he was unable to stop her from grabbing and pouring it on Kazuo's face. A faint smell of almonds tickled her nostrils as he threw up a sickening mix of blood and bile on her skirt and dropped dead.

"Kazuo..." Shuuya hung his head, great, now they were both gone. Some leader he turned out to be; failed three times in a row.

"He's gone, you happy now?" Toshimori brandished Kazuo's uzi into Shuuya's face just as he was about to make another boring, moralistic rebuttal. "There's going to be some changes around here and I expect you to follow them." And who knew, maybe it would be fun ordering these losers around.

End of Chapter 7. 27 Students Remain.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8: Point of View

_"If I close my eyes forever,  
would it all remain unchanged?  
If I close my eyes forever,  
would it ever be the same?"  
_-"Close my Eyes Forever", Lita Ford

GREY

"Well little warriors, I have to say that I'm quite impressed this time." Kamon chuckled. "I thought you were all losing your touch when that Kazushi kid died and would have to blow all your pretty little collars up if you dawdled any more. But you've proved me wrong. Now on to our new list of unfortunates..."

_"Hirono Shimizu. Hirono Shimizu."_ Mayumi turned to the speakers, her hands clutched tightly in prayer. _"Hirono Shimizu." _

"Girl #20 Kaori Minami, Girl #9 Yuko Sakai, and Boy #6 Kazou Kiriyama."

_"Drat, drat, drat!"_ Great, now Hirono had even more time to destroy everything. Did that bitch even know how long it took her to set up her life of comfort and all the lies she built around it? And who did Hirono even think she was fooling? She was jealous like all the other ugly girls in their class.

The kind of girls that had to study and build the delusion around themselves that if they have a nice enough personality some guy would suppress his gag reflex long enough to touch them. A lot of good it did Yuko, Yuka, Yukiko, Kaori, and Noriko; at least somebody put them out of their misery.

"Damn." Shou muttered.

"Are you okay, Shou?"

"Yeah." It wasn't that she cared all that much, but it stilled tugged at her heart to see all that flamboyance he once possessed dropping dead like someone pulled the plug to its life support.

"Freeze." The gleam from a kitana met them the second they arrived within ten feet of the lighthouse. Mizuho struck a heroic, Zorro-like pose; the whole thing was probably just a game to her.

"Leave them alone, Inada." Yukie ran toward her teammate.

_"Just look pretty and they'll flock around you."_ The memories of her mom's personal slogan returned to her. "Yukie!" Now for the tears of happiness. "Thank God you're still alive." She threw herself into Yukie's arms and hugged her, burying her teary face into her shoulder. "I knew you wouldn't be playing." Mayumi tightened her grip on Yukie, ignoring the dumbfounded looks on Shou and Inada's faces.

"Of course not," Yukie gently patted her back. "no one's going to play on my watch."

Mayumi's face lighted up as she wiped her tears with a lace handkerchief in her blue bag. "Really? Both Shou and I can..."

"Of course." Mayumi hugged her as tightly as she could.

"Are you sure about this?" Tadakatsu said while going over the map, after Yukie lead the remaining Gray Team members into the lighthouse.

"We don't really have a choice. We're going to need all the help we can get and I'm sure as hell not going to leave anyone behind."

He paused, thought of Yuuichiro, and sighed. "Fine, but if he starts molesting me, I'm kicking his ass."

"You're not my type." Shou turned and gave a sly little smile. "You're way too girly."

"Ooohhh. He burnt ya!" Mizuho laughed then hi-fived Shou.

"I hope you like your soup lukewarm." Sakura poured the last of soup into a chipped bowl and placed it in front of Mayumi.

"After everything I've been through, I could eat anything." She breathed a mental sigh of relief when Mayumi didn't start gagging the second the soup touched her tongue since adding the tomato juice was her silly idea. _"Great, she's buying it."_ Mayumi patted herself on the back for her ability to keep a straight face despite the vicious assault her taste buds. "I just wish I could tell you that I know where Yamamoto is."

"It's ok. It's not like either of us can be there with him." At least he wasn't dead; she could definitely be thankful for that. She had already decided a long time ago that angsting about it wouldn't get her anywhere. If Yukie and Inada could still keep going after the deaths of their friends, then so could she. Her brave, wonderful Yamamoto was strong enough to last this long and she was not going to greet him with a face that was all red and puffy from crying over him. Maybe if God was on his side, he and Yoshimi would have a few guns with them.

That's when Sakura's blood ran cold. She remembered a time when Yoshimi wasn't half the monsters Hirono and Mitsuko were suppose to be; just a normal, lower-class girl whose parents had to work their butts off to put those bargain bin clothes on her back that some of the other girls would ridicule her about. Maybe she could've tried to be Yoshimi's friend before Mitsuko got her claws into her, but now was not the time to think about it. Sakura knew she had to follow Yukie and just pray for the best.

"What's it like out there?" Mayumi gave her a confused stare. "We've been lucky enough not to run into anyone. I mean other than you and Shou, of course." Mayumi forced her body to quiver. "Oh, I'm sorry. Just forget what I said."

"I don't mind. It's Hirono's fault, not yours." Now for the story; not too out there, but disturbing enough to get Sakura's sympathy. "I saw Kaori getting some water for her team and she..." She wiped her tears with her handkerchief. "She yanked her head back and slit her throat." Sakura put her arms around Mayumi and held her like a mother to a sobbing child. It's what Yukie would do; at least Sakura was pretty sure it was. "Keita and the others, they were scared, but Kaori couldn't even scream and she just laughed at her."

"What does Shou think of this?"

"You're the only one I've told." Mayumi dabbed at her tears. "Oh there I go; crying like a baby. Not like you," She paused, sneaking a quick peek from the corner of her eye; good, Tadakatsu was in perfect listening range. "Or Tadakatsu."

"It's nothing really."

"No, it's not." Mayumi threw in the dreamy sigh of a love-sick teeny-bopper. "It was so brave of him to take on Mitsuru and I don't think a lot of guys would risk expulsion to protect their friends." She edged closer to Sakura like a child wanting to share a well-loved secret with her best friend. "And just between us girls, I think he's dreamy."

"Hey, Sakura." Mizuho poked her head from the kitchen. "There's something outside."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Is this where you yell, "Oh my God, it's Kazuhiko"; I look, and then you laugh at me."

"It's not my fault you can't take a joke. Besides, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."

PURPLE

Despite being away from Mitsuko and Hirono, Yoji being dead, and being paired with a boy that she hardly knew, Yoshimi didn't feel too lonely. She was sure that if it was any other boy they'd either be scared to death of her or turn their nose down at her as if she wasn't even worth scraping from the bottoms of their shoes, call her skank, and then expect her to fuck them afterwards But not Kazuhiko, to him she a fellow human being who was capable of having feelings. Maybe he just trying to be nice since she was the only surviving member of their team and she was just nobility practice until he found Sakura, but it didn't matter. Kazuhiko cared and that was good enough for her.

He held out his hand as they as they made it up a small, rock-covered hill to the lighthouse that he suggested that they take refuge in. So clever and handsome, how could she not notice it until now? Especially how his dark brown eyes, the exact shade as he beloved Yoji, would sparkle just like her lover's did when they were together.

She could bet her life that Sakura didn't realize how lucky she was. Kazuhiko would never force himself on her if she got second thoughts. The two of them probably virgins, but Yoshimi could tell that he would be gentle even if he was powerless against hurting her. The first time always hurt; there was just no way around it.

"Kazuhiko!" Sakura almost squealed, nearly plowing Inada over as she threw herself into his arms, kissing him.

_"Yep, she's the luckiest girl in the world."_ Yoshimi averted her gaze, trying not to cry.

YELLOW

Even though he was already prepared with the news of his boss' death, it didn't make it any easier for Hiroshi when his team came across Kazuo and Yuko's corpses. What was once the cold, stoic face of his leader was now a slightly bloated, cut up with bits of glass, bloody and vomit-covered mess that plunged and twisted itself into his heart. This was the boy who effortlessly tore out the eyeball of an Olympic judoist. People like Kazuo don't get taken out so early.

"Eww. Gross." Megumi turned her face the second her eyes feel upon Kazuo. "What did she throw at him? Acid?"

"I don't think so." Shinji kneeled down beside Kazuo and pointed to the bits of white powder on his face.

Just what the Hell was he feeling? It wasn't like Hiroshi wanted to cry and he'd sure as Hell fight to the death to keep Shinji and Megumi from seeing a single tear. Regret for wasting his life as a thug? Fear over his own mortality? He just didn't want to think about it.

_"Why aren't we cute?"_ His blood slowly boiled at the sight of Yuko's peaceful face. Just like some stupid little psycho fairy tale princess. How wonderful it would be the smash that delicate little face of hers until this painful energy inside him had release itself into every broken bone. Stupid bitch couldn't take one little fight without a trip to the loony bin and she gets the easy way out.

"Excuse me." Megumi tapped him on the shoulder. He stepped aside as she walked over to the bodies with an armful of dandelions and wild flowers. "Just humor me, guys." She placed two equal amounts on top of them as Hiroshi wrote something on his diary page.

_Could I have some time alone?_

"Sure thing." Mimura nodded and escorted Megumi out.

_"Rest in peace, bitch."_ Hiroshi unzipped his pants and pissed on her corpse. It would just have to do.

GREEN

Getting his black belt in karate, studying for midterms, cleaning his room, hell, taking on Kazuo in a one-on-one fist fight wouldn't be as hard as telling Kayoto how he felt. He practiced it hundreds of times in his head, but somehow the specter of doubt would rear its ugly head and keep him from opening his mouth.

Hiroki just couldn't hold it back any longer; especially after Yuko's sacrifice. Yuko, cute, fragile little Yuko who swallowed her fear and risked her life to protect her team. She hardly spoke to him or Yoshio and it didn't matter to her. And when they heard her scream when she was pumped full of lead and later had her name announced on the death toll to confirm their fears, it was like losing a devoted sister.

"Well good for her." He remembered Kayoto saying the second they heard Kazuo's name. "Oh God, did I just say that?" She groaned.

"It's ok." He reinsured her. "She had to stop him somehow."

"Yeah." Yoshio added, almost shyly. "She just might've saved hundreds of lives." They both gave him a pair of perplexed stares. "I always thought he'd become some kind of creepy serial killer. You know, the kind that dress-up as cops or postmen so they can have an excuse to go into your house and kill you."

"Don't you think that's a little harsh?" Sure Kazuo always came off as a loner, maybe even a dreamer, but then again, she didn't get a good look at him as he was running off to kill them. Besides, she couldn't really see him dressing-up as a postman; she always pictured Kazuo's legs being on the skinny side for some weird reason.

"He ripped out Jaguar's eye; you can't do that and not be crazy."

Telling her about the whole eyeball incident was not the easiest thing in the world, even if he had Yoshio's help to fill out the details. Hiroki wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they didn't all feel a little nauseous by the end of the story. Hopefully his confession wouldn't have the same effect.

He wasn't sure if having their teammate off to refill their bottles by the koi pond would've made him any more or less nervous. Oh well, it was now or never...

"Why haven't you been looking for her?" Kayoto's voice almost made him jump. "Don't you care?"

"What?"

"Don't play dumb with me; you haven't even tried to look for her."

_"What is she talking about?"_ Then it hit him. "You mean Takako?"

"Yeah, you two are practically joined at the hip. Even some of the seniors drool all over her. Hell, I'd go after her if I was a boy or a lesbo." Kayoto paused, and then gave a sad sigh. Compared to a tough beauty like Takako, she felt like dried-up mud that someone scraped from the grooves of their shoes. Horny, drunk businessmen were one thing, but what good was it when none of the boys in her school or the token guy in her flower arranging class wouldn't give her a second thought? "So why aren't you after her?"

"Because I've already found the girl I love."

"I..." It was like finding out that she was a princess in a far away kingdom; just so unexpected, but deep-down you couldn't be happier. "Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice was soft and almost awe-struck.

"Because I was scared." Kayoto feel into total silence. Their fearless leader who use to creep her out and could probably taken on most of the boys in their class (if not all of them) in a fight was scared. "After what Yuko did, I realized that I couldn't hold it all back. If she can sacrifice herself for us, then hiding my feelings from you is just plain stupid."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Ever since you helped me with Fugetsu."

"Fugetsu?"

"The kitten. I named her after the flower arrangement you made for the class--in honor of you."

"You're really sweet." She stepped closer to him until they were face to face; no time to hold this back, either. His slight trembling when she gently caressed his face with the tips of her fingers made her want to giggle. "I'm so glad I'm not scared of you anymore." Standing on the balls of her feet, she leaned forward and kissed him.

It was all some kind of weird, beautiful dream. All those worries Hiroki inflicted with himself with began to fade into happiness. So much time was wasted in fear, but it was all worth it because he now had the love of his life.

Then like any dream, it began to fade back to a harsh reality and memories of a precious friend. Sooner or later his team would have to fight back, maybe against Takako's. It made him almost wish that she would be taken out early so he wouldn't have to. God, he felt like a prick.

"Uh, sorry about that." Yoshio said nervously the second they turned their heads and noticed that he walked in on them.

"It's no problem." Kayoto relieved him of the two refilled bottles that she tore the wrappers off earlier and thanked him. "You wanna to join us?" Their blank stares made her burst into a kind, yet mischievous laugh.

BLUE

The kiss alone was more than enough to force Takako to tear her gaze away from her binoculars. She didn't need to know what they were going to say, the fact that Hiroki didn't struggle against the kiss or was too shocked to respond told her everything. All this time she had been with him, too scared and too proud to say anything and now her heart was breaking.

_"I could make it look like an accident..."_ She mused, going back to binoculars and loosely pointing her gun to where she believed Kayoto was standing. Yeah right, she'd probably miss and hit a cat. _"No, not like this."_ She sighed and lowered her gun. No matter how unfair it was, even if she succeeded, she'd end up killing them both.

"Takako? What's wrong?" Yuuichiro asked as a tear ran down Takako's face when she returned from scouting.

"Love's just cruel, that's all."

End of Chapter 8. 27 Students remain.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9: Nothing Personal

_"So when you fall to the ground,  
and finally get back to reality,  
And no one at all is around,  
So tell me how does it feels to be the enemy?"_  
-"Enemy," Sevendust

RED

"Ah, perfect." Toshimori mused as he came across a motorcycle helmet when his team took a rest stop near an abandoned garage. He picked it up and examined it like a fine diamond. "No more worrying about any head shots."

He wasn't sure why the motorcycle it belonged to was now drawing his attention away from putting the helmet on. The domestic models never did much for him, but this one was different. He couldn't quite make out the name, Har-something or other, but this was a machine that radiated the strength and power of the most deserving. Damn those lower-class thugs for claiming it as their own.

"What's with Toshimori?" Fumiyo, who had replaced her ruined skirt with a pair of jeans, whispered to Shuuya.

"I think he's in love." She tried to bite her bottom lip to keep from laugh to no avail. This was more of Yuka's territory, but it did Shuuya's heart good to see his teammate smile. "Friend." He said in a creepy voice, mimicking Toshimori's movements as he ran his hand across the motorcycle.

"You're horrible." She was going to kill Shuuya for making her laugh so hard that she snorted and had tears coming down her eyes.

"Hey, what are you two idiots laughing about?"

"Nothing." She managed to say after two attempts between fits of laughter.

Toshimori just simply grunted and put his new helmet on. _"I wonder if it would be legal to get my collar off first and then kill them."_

ORANGE

The more he thought about it, the more Tatsumichi wondered what it would feel like to wrap his hands around Satomi's neck. What gave that creepy bitch the right to abandon Kaori? When you're part of a team you work together, just like in basketball. Then again, if he was such a great team player, then how come didn't do a damn thing?

Maybe if he was blessed with a sub machine gun and thought of fighting back and raiding garages for food first, she wouldn't so high a mighty. Even Ryuhei was following her around like a puppy, as if she was a member of his little crime family. Just another pinch of salt to rub into the wound of resentment.

Satomi turned her head to check on him, her face looked like a bit of sadness was peaking out amongst her tough demeanor only to immediately be shoved back down with a cold determination. She motioned her teammates to come up and pointed her weapon to where she wanted them to look; some new yellow-collared victims had just arrived.

YELLOW

They were going to make it. They were really going to make it. Megumi tried to contain her glee and keep from skipping as her and Hiroshi made their way to ravine and help set Yutaka's Revenge (or Kaori's Revenge as she dubbed it) into action. No offense to Hiroshi, but she didn't see why she couldn't go with her dear, sweet Shinji. After all, it was her diver's knife he was using to cut the line. Shinji just flashed one of his world famous flirtatious smiles, gave her his gun to protect herself with, and she forgot every thought that was in her head.

She gazed upon the Desert Eagle as if he had just given her the Hope Diamond and cradled it close to her chest. _"He really does care."_ She could just imagine the tears of joy running down her family's faces as their little girl returned home safe and sound. She'd just have to hide out for a bit until it all blew over and then they could return to their lives. Hiroshi would probably find another gang to hang with and who knew; maybe Shinji would come to return her feelings towards him. Mrs. Megumi Mimura, it had such a nice ring to it. She turned her head, no sign of Shinji. While he had a longer way to walk, it still disturbed her. Who knew which teams had surrendered to the game and were now thirsting for their blood.

"Umph!" Shinji's cry and rather nasty thud filled Megumi's ears as threw her rationality out the window and ran to the sound.

"Megumi, wait!" Hiroshi cried out only to be ignored. _"Dumb bitch."_ He sighed and went after her before she could get herself killed.

"Shinji! Are you oka..." Megumi's feet came to a screeching halt, forcing Hiroshi to almost trip himself when he attempted to keep from ramming into her. Except for the paleness growing on her face, almost every function in her body had given up. "Sa-Satomi..." Even one simple word was almost painful to utter.

"Sorry." Pulling the trigger, Satomi had managed to blast enough holes into them and the bomb Hiroshi was holding that the only thing they could do was get caught in the blast and send the Orange team flying back a few feet.

"Damn." Tatsumichi muttered as he and his team, now adorned with a few cuts and bruises of their own, picked themselves off the grass. He shook his head and failed to make everything stop spinning. Just what the Hell did The Program give Hiroshi? Apparently something powerful enough to blow him and Megumi to bits. It's a good thing they were far enough away not to be taken with them.

"There he is!" Ryuhei shouted and fired a few missed shots at a now fleeing Shinji. This was too unreal, like some crazed, drug-induced nightmare, seeing a cool, confident tomcat like Shinji struck with a look of horror on his face and now running from two people who he could easily take down if they were back at school. Tatsumichi's head had finally stopped spinning, but it didn't make anything better.

"Fools." Megumi's dieing voice caught their attention. Being the closest to her, Ryuhei was able arrive at her side, not realizing that he was cradling her head with one of his hands as he knelt by her side. "We cou...ld've st...stopped them..."

"What..." Not a single word escaped her lips. "Megumi!" His other hand grabbed her bloody, mangled top and he shook her violently. "Stop who? You got to tell us?" By then he realized she was already dead. For a second Ryuhei could swear that he heard two voices on the verge of yelling at each other, but he was too so sure.

He gently poked at Megumi's corpse, hoping/fearing that it would spring up when he least suspected it. Who would've thought that seeing a person die would be so shocking? He didn't have to see Kaori get her neck blown open and once he got over it, seeing Kazuo tear the eye out of some loser who crossed his path didn't seem so bad. Then again those people lived to tell the tale. Hiroshi and Megumi were never going to get up no matter how many times he poked them. _"Fuck, Ryuhei, you going to start wussing-out and crying like a little bitch?"_ He slowly turned his head away from her. _"You'll get use to it. Just few more corpses and you'll never have to think about it again."_ Yeah, that was it. He had to be hard; just like Mitsuru was always musing about. Most of the kids were just a bunch of wusses, his team could take them on.

"You ruined everything you bitch." Tatsumichi wrapped his hands around Satomi's neck and slammed her to the ground. "I think it's about time you stepped down."

"Go to Hell." Her icy stare was as strong as ever despite the lack of air in her lungs and having her machine gun being knocked out of her hands.

He wasn't going to let her go now. Not until that cold, hateful gaze of hers had died and she was put in her place. "Not until you surrender."

"Fuck you."

"That's not the answer."

"She said, "fuck you"!" Ryuhei delivered a powerful blow to Tatsumichi back with a fallen branch large enough to serve as a walking stick. It broke in half on impact, but not without forcing Tatsumichi hands off Satomi's neck. Shame he couldn't shoot the dumb jock in the head without his collar blowing up. "If you want to die, fine. Just don't go dragging us along with you."

Tatsumichi dodged the next strike and punched him in the face. "Are you blind? She's a fucking psycho."

The tips of Satomi's shoes made swift and brutal contact with Tatsumichi's groin, forcing him to the ground, squirming like he did to her. "Then you come up with something, genius." She gave him a minute to catch his breath. "It's not like you have anything to lose." Tears of rage fell with every word from her eyes. "No friends, no ties, come on big boy tell me what you would've done."

_"Yeah, you tell him boss."_ Tatsumichi's silence was more than enough to pay Ryuhei back for the massive shiner forming on his face. Serves him right, he was no better than Mitsuru, his step dad, or any of the other thugs that could only think with their fists and used him as their personal punching bag.

Sure you had to prove yourself worthy of moving up on the social food chain, but at least think before you do it. Ryuhei was smart enough to know he wasn't strong or smart enough to make it through and Satomi was their only hope of getting out of here alive, but that self-righteous prick couldn't see it.

"I...don't know." Her words and tears struck Tatsumichi harder than any of the blows he received. "Fine. I'll help you."

She only nodded and bent over to get Megumi's gun. "You can have it if you want. It should still work." She tossed it to him. It clicked when he pulled the trigger. "And if you want what's left of the bullets, all you have to do is ask."

YELLOW

After all this time. After all the work they put into Yutaka's Revenge, it died before it even had a chance to take its first steps. Shinji buried his head into his hands and sighed. _"I'm sorry, Yutaka. I'm so sorry."_

"Shinji!" Shuuya ran up and hugged him tightly before he had a chance to react. "Thank God you're still alive."

"Yeah." He hugged him back. "Same here.

End of Chapter 9. 25 students remain.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10  
A False Sense of Security

_"You meet me and your whole world changes,  
Because every I say is everything you want to hear,  
So you drop all your defenses and you drop all your fears,  
And you trust me completely,  
I'm perfect in everyway,  
Cause I make you feel so strong and so powerful inside,  
You feel so lucky, but your ego obscures reality,  
And you never wonder why things are going so well,  
You want to know?  
Cause I'm a liar."_

_-"Liar", Henry Rollins_

Red & Yellow

"I was worried that explosion took somebody with it."

Shinji tried to hold back a groan. Just what he needed, another classmate running up to him. What was it this time? Another alliance? A trap? His throat slashed when he least suspected it? "You can thank a tree root for that."

Shuuya wasn't sure if that was a joke or not and opted to chuckle just in case it was. "Fujiyoshi and I aren't playing and with the extra help, we can keep Toshimori under control." He grabbed Shinji's wrist, ready to drag him over to his teammates. "Let's go get Hiroshi and Megumi and we can start thinking of a plan to get out of here." His friend's decision of immobility kept Shuuya anchored. "Come on, Shinji, where are they?"

"They went boom." Shuuya let go of his arm. God, he felt like a total jackass. "You can thank Satomi and her thugs for that."

"You're kidding." Ok, this was unexpected. He could see Ryuhei, maybe even Tatsumichi if he snapped from the pressure, but Satomi? Sure she could be cold, but there was always a sense of kindness that he could easily see in her. She wouldn't have any friends if there wasn't any. "What did Ryuhei and Tatsumichi do to her?"

"Get your head out of your ass, Shuuya. She was the one who shot them."

Shuuya could just feel his heart beginning to break. Not her, not Satomi. Nice girls don't do things like that; Noriko sure wouldn't want it that way. "I guess we better get out of here before they find us."

"I wouldn't worry. Knowing those idiots, they're probably long gone by now."

"Okay." Shuuya's stomach began to act a little funny. Was this cynical, joyless young man in front of him really Shinji? He could understand him being upset about losing his teammates, but he had always bounced back from every horrid situation had been through before. Even his uncle's death couldn't extinguish that rebellious fire inside him. "Guys, you can come out now."

Fujiyoshi poked her head from the bushes her and Toshimori were hiding in and scanned the area before getting out. Tightening her grip on the lead pipe she found in the garage where Toshimori got his helmet, she slowly made her way toward them. "I'm sorry about Yutaka." She looked at Shinji who displayed no obvious signs of rage and insanity. "He didn't suffer." She felt a tear run down her face. "He died happy."

"So little nerd was telling the truth." Shinji unknowingly said out loud.

"What?"

"It's a long story."

Blue

"It's so beautiful." Even as the smoke from the explosion began to settle, Mitsuko couldn't help to not look away.

"What?" A slightly disturbed Takako asked.

"The color, the sounds, the way beauty can arise from destruction."

"Uh, ok." She'd never understand. Mitsuko almost smiled as a flood of sad, beautiful memories came back to her. The peaceful look the mortician managed to scrape-up on that boxer at his funeral. So utterly different from the hard, violent life he had lived, like two contrasting colors that blended together so perfectly.

Even Yutaka's death had its own appeal the way the blood sprayed out of his body, reminding her of tiny geysers breaking free from their cage of flesh. Those spiritualists had it all wrong, the human soul is not just a spiritual apparition, but also a physical body of crimson liquid that showed it's host's true self when they died. Yutaka's was a bold red stain that showed the bravery few ever saw. Kazushii's thin trickle proved that he was just a small man with nothing but selfish violence in his heart. And Takako's nosebleed reminded her of a melting icicle, begging the kid in her to lick one of its sweet-tasting drops.

"I can see it." Yuuichiro said, turning toward Mitsuko. "Kind of like how volcanoes are pretty even though everything is going to die when they erupt."

"See, he gets it." Mitsuko flashed a confident smile. She just knew that a halo of blood would form if someone shot him in the head or pour out like wings if it was in the back.

"Let's get going." Chigusa picked up her bag and threw it over her shoulder. "If Shinji's little plan worked, we may be able to get off this island."

Grey, White & Purple

"Come on, go tell him." Sakura almost laughed as she led Mayumi into the kitchen where Tadakatsu was emptying out the pot for every last bit of that nasty-tasting soup into the sink.

"I can't." Mayumi said with a nervous giggle. "What if I screw-up?"

"Don't worry about it. Tadakatsu's a great guy, besides you wouldn't believe the number of times Kazuhiko called and hung-up before asking me out." Those were such wonderful times, and no sick, sadistic program was going to put an end to them. She pushed Mayumi through the doorway and shut the door in front of her.

"Thanks a lot, Sakura." Mayumi grumbled. "Oh, Tadakatsu, I didn't see you there." She forced herself to blush.

"So are you ready?" He just wanted to kick himself for not being able to come up with anything else. He couldn't even count the times he had been practicing what he'd say to the first girl to ever have any interest in him. Everything from a Shinji-level smoothness to taking the nice guy routine.

Mayumi was somewhere near the end of his list of possible girls who'd have a crush on him. Even Kaori and Takako were placed higher than her. She was a nice enough girl if you go for those shy, prim, modestly dressed types. The more he thought of it with both his head and privates, she was a pretty good catch.

"I guess." Mayumi's face turned pale and her body began to shiver nervously.

"Mayumi?"

"I don't know if I can do it." She squeezed a few tears out of her eyes. "What if there are more of them or the boats are rigged or they have helicopters waiting for us?" Mayumi threw herself into Tadakatsu's arms, sobbing into his chest. "I don't want to die." She pulled her head away and stepped back, lovingly gazing into his eyes like he was a knight in shining armor. "I don't want to lose you."

Tossing his common sense out the window, Tadakatsu tightly gasped her arms, pulled her closer, and kissed her as hard as he could. So he liked to play rough? That was perfectly fine with her; most of her clients were nothing more than bam-bam-bam or sucking on her titties than any real passion. "First time?" Mayumi gasped when the kiss broke off.

"Uh, yeah." If it was any other girl, he would've lied.

"Me too." She gave him a light peck on the lips. "Come on, let's get going."

"You can go ahead; I have to fix my socks." Tadakatsu nodded and left.

"Bravo. Bravo. Encore." Shou's voice dripped with so much sarcasm that it plopped on Mayumi like fat drops of rain. His golf audience-type clapping rang in her ears, causing her blood to slowly boil. "You ever thought of a career in acting? My dad's been thinking of going into the home movie business and you can star in them."

"You creep! How dare you."

"Cut the polite shit, Mayumi. I know you're not the sweet little flower that you think you are."

Mayumi's back tensed up like a cat. "How could..." _"What did that bitch, Hirono, tell him?"_

Shou's mood became playful and mischievous. "Call it women's intuition." He chuckled a bit at his little joke. "I just found it convenient that you'd start drooling over Tadakatsu loud enough for him to hear and then start acting all innocent the second you come across him. Not the guy I would go for; Kazuhiko is definitely the cuter of the two. Besides, you already gave yourself away just a few seconds ago."

"Fine, then what do you want?"

"Oh I'll think of something."

Pink

"I guess somebody decided to get creative." Shougo mumbled, replacing Chisato's bandages, as the smoke from the bomb finally began to die down.

_"That's real sweet of you."_ Yumiko growled. She could sympathize with the loss of his father and girlfriend and sort of understand his more blood-thirsty tactics, but couldn't he have at least some sympathy towards the potential victims? She just had to swallow her anger and keep her mouth shut. "Time to put all those science classes to work."

Yumiko fidgeted with her collar, trying to picture the chips and circuits inside it. _"If there was some way to trick these things into thinking we're dead. There are pulse points in the neck, so I'd have to find a way to block them."_ She touched her neck. _"Without killing myself." _

"What'cha doing?" Hirono took a drag off a cigarette that she bummed off of Shougo. Sure she promised herself that she'd quit, but given all the crap they'd been through, she earned the right to indulge in an old habit. It sure did wonders for her nerves.

"Trying to find a way to deactivate these collars." She turned to Hirono. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about electronics, would you?"

"I can hotwire a car."

"Uh, it'll do." Yumiko brushed away a wave of cigarette smoke getting into her face. "Could you put out that cigarette?"

Hirono blew a fresh batch of smoke into her face. "No."

White, Grey, & Purple

Thanks to that explosion, Yukie was thrown into something she hoped wouldn't happen. There were still so many other kids that she had to save, but a number of her fellow students weren't as patient. It just happened to trigger some good old fashioned paranoia that the rest of the teams would go to such lengths to destroy them. Yukie ripped up some paper, one for each person, and placed them in a pile._ "Here's hoping they'll see the light."_

In Yukie's eyes, this was all happening way too soon. There were still so many lives that needed to be saved. Fujiyoshi, Kayoto, Satomi, Chisato, even her beloved Shuuya were still wandering around, ready to be killed at any moment. But that explosion had unnerved more than one student, demanding to get off the island before they shared the same fate. She had lost three of her friends already and there was no way she was going to let the rest of them down.

She began tearing a blank sheet of paper into strips, one for each of the residents. One by one they entered and were signaled by Yukie to take a seat.

"You all know why you're here." Yukie tried to swallow the growing lump in her throat. "I'm not going to name any names, but some you are demanding to put our plan into action." She handed Sakura the slips of paper and handful of pencils, instructing her to pass them down.

"But we have to!" Mayumi unknowingly blurted out then blushed slightly at her rudeness. "I'm sorry." Laying one of her delicate hands against her chest, Mayumi took a breath to calm herself and continued. "You saw what the others are capable of; I don't want to see anyone else get hurt." Focused her attention on Tadakatsu as she spoke the last eight words; completely oblivious that Shou was rolling his eyes.

"Maybe someone's collar blew-up." Said Mizuho, finally tearing her attention away from her attempt to turn her slip of paper into origami.

"Trust me, my dear Mizuho, for once Mayumi's right about something." Mayumi wasn't sure if she wanted to kiss Shou or kick him in the nuts. "I've seen those things go off. Keita's nuts would be on the other side of the island if it was that bad."

"Eww." Yukie and Sakura collectively groan at the mental image that popped into their heads. "Still, we can't leave the others behind." Sakura said, being the first to make the nut-shot leave her mind.

"Right, we're the good guys." Mizuho nearly jumped out of her seat with the fantasies of her Ivory Crusaders returning to her. After pushing them aside to morn Kaori's death and then again when the bomb went off, it lifted her spirits to revel in the dream that there was hope that at least Megumi wouldn't have to suffer. Who else would believe in her Ivory Crusaders (or at least humor her)? Maybe Sakura would do it out of niceness, but it wasn't the same; Megumi was all she had now. "And the good guys always win."

_"This isn't a game you freak."_ Mayumi bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from talking. _"God, can't you let something other than the voices in your head do your thinking for you?"_

"Hey, I have friends out there, too." Mayumi let her eyes wonder around the room as Shou started talking. Other than Yoshimi who was sitting there like it was her first day at school with her hands rested between her thighs, the rest of the girls (not counting Shou) seemed pretty sure of themselves, but it was Tadakatsu that was worrying her. His stoic face made it almost impossible to determine if she had fully managed to convince him. "But we can't wait forever." Her eyes turned to Kazuhiko almost sulking in his chair. The handsome young man was suspiciously silent through the whole meeting as his eyes nervously darted toward the clock (which had just hit 10 PM), then Sakura and Yoshimi, and then his hands before repeating the process. In a way, Mayumi found it quite amusing. "The game is almost half over."

"But we still have time." Not even all the confidence in the world could subdue the knots forming in Yukie's stomach._ "Lot of good that's done; you can't even find the rest of your friends."_ Yukie' personal voice of doubt began to gain strength through the tension in the air.

_"They just haven't gotten here, yet. That's all."_ Yukie mentally answered, unaware that everyone in the room was staring at her. _"Then how come poor little Yuko went and got herself killed while you sat on your ass?"_ Her doubt laughed at her attempt at playing the big, strong leader. Underneath it all, she was just another sad, pathetic kid just like the rest of them. Trying to hold back her tears 24/7 when everyone else around her was stuck down by the deaths of their friends. In the back of its own twisted little mind, her doubt gleefully wondered how much more prodding it would have to do get those pretty brown eyes to finally well-up._ "Some leader you turned out to be. Satomi, Kayoto, Fujiyoshi, even your precious Shuuya are probably too scared of you playing the game that they'll blast a hole in your head the second they see you."_

"That's not true!" Yukie's impulsiveness broke through her rationality's defense like a frenzied quarterback as she slammed her fist on the table hard enough to draw everyone's attention to her. She could just picture her doubt letting out a hateful laugh that would unnerve the devil, especially when she couldn't find an excuse for her outburst. "Never mind. Let's just put our votes in."

Shou just shrugged his shoulders and walked off to a separate area in the room to write down his vote. _"Hiroshi, Ryuhei, I hate to do this to you guys."_ He paused, his mind flooding back to his time with the Kiriyama Family. He could feel the specter of his handsome leader looming over him. Those icy, emotionless eyes bore a disapproving hole into him until Shou finally stopped writing. _"Maybe you're right."_ He lifted his pen an inch away from the paper, if Kazuo was ever capable of smiling, Shou knew he would be doing it right now. That hottie, Mitsuru, would be running out there looking for them. Now that he thought about it, Ryuhei had a bit of a cuteness to him, too. And maybe he'd suck-off Hiroshi if he asked nicely and there were no other guys available. _"Oh hell, you didn't do anything, either."_ Folding his vote in half, he went to drop it off in the bowl Yukie left in the middle of the table.

"Are you ok?" Sakura whispered to Yukie as they dropped their votes into the bowl.

"Of course I am." Her voice was tired and weak.

"If not, I'm here to help."

_"Sakura, please forgive me."_ Kazuhiko silently entered his vote, refusing to look at any of them. _"I can't risk losing you."_

One by one, the others placed their votes in, following Kazuhiko's lead of not really looking at each other. Yukie arose from her seat and dumped the votes on the table. Her heart had made a lightning-fast trip from her chest to her mouth, beating like crazy. She just had to get through to the others; they couldn't all be so self-serving. "One for staying." She held up a vote where the "I" was dotted with a heart. "One to leave."

"We interrupt your regularly scheduled killing spree," Kamon's voice barged in, almost causing Yukie to jump. "To bring in the new death call." Gritting her teeth, she continued with the slips of paper at a rapid pace as if he'd disappear if she toned him out. "Our newest victims are Boy #9: Hiroshi Kuronga and Girl #3 Megumi Eto. Them and their explosive performance will be missed."

There was only one slip of paper left with the leave side one vote ahead when Mizuho sprang up from her chair. Every trait that made her recognizable was torn away from her, leaving a cold, dark figure who could give Kazuo nightmares in its place. "Mizuho..." She swiped the vote from Yukie's hand, read it, and crossed it out.

"Let's go." Mizuho's voice was cold enough to freeze the entire island.

"But..."

"I changed my mind."

"You can't do this. We're the good guys, remember?" Mizuho simply turned her back and went to get her stuff. _"Murderer."_ Yukie wasn't sure how she did it, but somehow she managed to hold back her tears.

End of Chapter 10. 25 Students remain.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11: Glory

_I am the enemy  
I am the antidote  
Watch me closely  
I will stand up - now_

_We will rise  
Rise above_  
"We Will Rise"-Arch Enemy

Green

"You don't hate people, you just feel sorry for them." Even without the constant influence of his mother's pet phrase, Yoshio knew he'd still feel a little bad about Hiroshi's death. The bruises, the insults, it just didn't pay to get angry about it. Anger destroys you from the inside, causing you to hurt people and get locked away, just like it did to dad.

"Wait." Hiroki said out of the blue when something leaning against an open garage door caught his eye. He regretfully let go of Kayoto's hand, checked his tracker, and ran off to get it.

It was almost as if the Green Team was in an alternate universe. Sure they were not immune to the death calls and worry of dead friends, but avoiding the other teams did have its advantages.

"Yoshio?" Kayoto turned to her larger teammate, her arms wrapped around herself as the thought in her head weighed heavily on her body. "Are you Christian?"

"Uh, no." Okay, that was unexpected.

"Yuko was one and I was hoping if you knew anything about it." The memories of Yuko began to come back to her in all their bitter sweetness. "She liked to talk about these creatures, angels, yeah that's what they're called and how her god would send them to protect people." A slight laugh escaped her lips. "She even had this tacky little collection of them in her room with their big, creepy eyes and stuff."

"Can't be any worse my mom's "Clown Corner"."

"Probably." Kayoto paused as her mood turned somber. "Do you think she's become one?"

Yoshio gave her a confused look. "Oh." He briefly cursed his slow-wittedness. "Maybe that's what happens to Christians when they die. The good ones, not the bad ones. They become angels and visit earth to help people."

"We could definitely use the help." She stretched like a cat awakening from a long nap. "So what do the bad ones become?"

"Little blue penguins." Kayoto couldn't help but to laugh. "With peg legs and crudely stitched bodies and they have clean-up the angels' houses until they have enough money to reincarnate."

Her imagination flooded with the thought of a pink Mitsuko-Penguin (complete with two lumps on its chest, representing the mammoth gonzo-boobs she had in life) polishing Angel-Yuko's collection. "Thanks." She said with a smile as her laughter died down. "I needed that."

"No problem." He finally understood why Hiroki was so nervous when she was about to kiss him; that smile of hers pretty enough to make him flustered. Then again Yoshio always figured that he'd end up like his mom and be ignored by the opposite sex until he was twenty-one.

"Sorry I took so long." Hiroki finally returned with the screwed-off handle of a broom in tow.

He gazed at their leader's new weapon. "Maybe you could tape those arrowheads you made to the ends and you'd have a spear."

"Not a bad idea." In the midst of all the chaos, death, and fear, Yoshio had to wonder if just maybe this horrid game wasn't a complete nightmare.

White

"I, Mizuho Inada, swear that I will make it out of here." Away from the safety of the Ivory Tower, Mizuho carved her friend's names into the dirt and drew a coffin around each one with her kitana. "And when I come back I will make the demon, Kamon, and the abysmal lords he serves pay for their sins." Saluting their mock graves, she walked off to join the others. Any fear she would've had going through with Yukie's plan was replaced with the righteous anger of an ancient god.

Even if the rest of the Ivory Crusaders preferred to forget they were heroes and go back to their old lives, Mizuho never would. Of the hundreds of kids The Program killed every year, she was sure that at least a fourth of those kids' families, lovers, and friends could rally under her banner. Slowly and surely they would gain power and return their dictator to the Hell that spawned him. She then remembered a mustached man once told her that tree of freedom must be occasionally watered with the blood of patriots and tyrants; truer words were never spoken.

She turned back to her team as they stood twenty feet from their assigned boat, watching they sky for the other team's flares to light.

"Ready?" Yukie asked the second the flares lighted the sky.

"Hell yes."

Grasping her kitana tight enough to make her knuckles turn white, Mizuho and her team silently made her way towards the boat. Having the guns, Sakura and Yukie took the front while she and Tadakatsu followed behind.

Even her injured leg couldn't keep Sakura from lagging behind, renewing Mizuho's faith in the plan. Truth be told, Mizuho never gave much credit to the short-haired girl; too flighty and love-struck if you asked her. She sure didn't know how to shut-up when her boyfriend bought her that stupid handbag. Boyfriend or not, Sakura was now carrying a warrior's determination, even as two shadowy figures leapt from a pair of nearby bushes and plugged her full of holes.

"Sakura!" Mizuho found herself screaming in pure horror. One of the figures pointed it's gun at Mizuho only to have the three shots whiz past her when Tadakatsu tacked her to the ground to get her out of the way while Yukie blasted a few holes into the other figure's head.

"Mizuho..." Sakura's weakened voice drew her attention.

"Sakura. Thank the Gods you're alive." She threw one Sakura's bloody arms over her shoulder. "Come on, we can still get out of here."

Her unintentional innocence made Sakura smile as if Mizuho was just a cute little kid. "Tell Kazuhiko that I love him." She coughed up a spot of blood. "And Yoshimi that I'm...so-sorry that I...wasn't there for her..."

"You're not dead yet." Sakura stopped breathing; a dreamer to the end. "Goddamnit!" She angrily let her corpse drop on the ground and ran to the second figure like an enraged tiger with her kitana as her claws, striking so much fear that it couldn't stop her from nearly slicing its neck off.

"..." Yukie's blood ran cold at first at the sight of its blood gushing out and seconds later when the body fell near a patch of moonlight, revealing a familiar face.

"Wait a minute." Tadakatsu ran up to the newly fallen body, wiping the freshly-sprayed blood to get a better look. "That's the guy that robbed my dad's store."

Yukie immediately ran to the other body. "Sanji Kuromoya."

"What's he doing here?" Mizuho asked, wiping her kitana on the grass. It wasn't like he was that hard to forget. It's not everyday that you saw some senior that not even the Kiriyama family would mess with crying like a little girl when the police hauled his butt away for selling dope in school.

"Monsters." A few angry tears fell from Yukie's eyes. "The Program must've promised them their freedom if they did this."

"Oh God." Tadakatsu began to go pale. "Mayumi."

"I'm sure she's fine." Yukie could almost swear that voice of doubt that haunted her at the light house was laughing it's ass off at her optimism. "Her and Shou have those extra grenades, remember." Bad girl or not, at least Yoshimi was nice enough to share the rest of her team's hand grenades with her and Mayumi's teams.

At first Yukie thought that she was only doing it because Yamamoto put her up to it, but then Sakura immediately jumped to Yoshimi's defense when she shared her feelings with her late teammate. And when Sakura said that she "shouldn't judge people by the bad choices they've made", only perplexed Yukie even more.

"Get them!" One of the soldier's bullets whizzed by Yukie's head as he and his partner left the safety of their post to finish them off.

"Mizuho. Tadakatsu. Take them out." She tossed Tadakatsu her gun and took the six-shooter resting limply in Sanji's hand. "I'll get the boat started."

With a brief, silent prayer for Sakura and anyone else might've died while her plan was in action, she ran blindly toward the boat with her gun blazing. The remaining two bullets in her gun knocked down one of the soldiers with a pair of shots to the chest as her teammates took out the other one. It was cold, but she had to see this thing through. Mizuho's quick smile and thumbs-up renewed Yukie's confidence while she plunged her kitana into surviving soldier's injured chest. The nagging voice was now as dead as those soldiers the second she made her way to boat's ignition, turned the key, and witnessed both the engine and her collar explode the second she got it to start up.

"..." All Tadakatsu could do was stare almost catatonically the second Yukie's head separated from her neck and landed in the water. He began to feel a warm stream of tears fall from his eyes; damn it, this wasn't supposed to happen. Sure his team was becoming a bit of a trap magnet, but as much as he hated to admit it, he almost believed Mizuho's "good always prevails" bullshit. Yuiichiro definitely would've fallen it for hook, line and sinker.

Yuiichiro, good ol' Yuiichiro. He wondered if Mayumi would ever forgive him for putting his childhood best friend's safety over her when he voted to stay (provided that she ever found out.) If the girls' optimism was right, the both of them would be alright. After all his team had been through, they deserved the at least some of their hopes to come true.

"Game over, Tadakatsu." Mizuho said; her enthusiasm drained from her very being as she jabbed her kitana into the sand and feel to her knees. "Game over."

Watching Mizuho as the cold, hard reality of The Program finally set it, was disturbing in its own right. Gone was the school space case with her wild dreams, the messed-up little stories she wrote in Composition class, and her samurai fantasies when ever she had Sakura's kitana in her hands. She'd almost be cute (when Tadakatsu thought about it), if she toned it down a bit. Ok, not this toned-down where she was practically another person staring at her knees.

"Who the Hell was I kidding?" She said, unable to lift her head as if it would be too painful to even attempt. "The Ivory Tower, our great destiny, it's all bullshit."

"This isn't a game, Mizuho."

"I know that!" Her head snapped back up. "Just because everyone laughs at me doesn't mean I'm oblivious." She pulled herself up, leaving her kitana in the ground, not a single tear marred her face. "Maybe it just helped me keep my mind off this crap. Sakura had her boyfriend. Yukie had her plan. Kaori and Megumi had their "husbands." And you, well, you're a guy; you don't have to worry about that kind of stuff."

"So you don't think I care, do you?" Now wasn't the time, but he couldn't help in feeling a little offended.

"Of course not," Mizuho struggled to find the words, but if felt like they slipped out of her hands when she tried to grab them. "It's just that you guys, especially you jock types, are better at keeping it in. That's all." She let out an embarrassed groan. "Never mind."

Some hero she turned out to be. Hero? Ha! She couldn't even make a halfway decent loser if she tried. All those dreams and fantasies and look where they got her? If she just kept her "righteous fury" to herself, they'd be stuck with that tie, but knowing Yukie's charisma, she'd convince them all to stay.

Mizuho quickly turned her back to Tadakatsu when she felt a tear force itself from her eye. If she just listened to Yukie, Sakura and her team's much smarter leader would still be alive. And who knows who else they could've saved if they stayed?

_"Stop crying you idiot!"_ Mizuho mentally screamed as she felt those rebellious tears run down her face as punishment for her sins.

"Mizuho?" It was like his voice didn't exist at all. She just stood there, a tense, quivering mess of emotions, ready to explode. _"Damn it."_ He tried to think. _"Yuuichiro was better at handling this crap than I am. Think Tadakatsu, what would he do?"_ Then it hit him. "Milady." He got down on one knee, his head bowed like a noble prince to his fair damsel. "I, Tadakatsu Hatagami, pledge thy service to ye."

"Don't make fun of me!"

"I am not, my fair lady. Thy will is my command." He quickly peeked his head up, Mizuho stifled a laugh. "Dub thee so I may aid thee in thy quest."

Mizuho just shook head, ran over to pull her kitana from the sand and then to Tadakatsu to begin. "I dub thee Sir Edmund: The Puppy-Kicker."

"How about you don't?'

"Fine. Then how does Lord Tiamat sound?"

"Whatever." With a laugh, she raised her kitana and knighted him.

"God, I hope no one saw me." Tadakatsu unknowingly said out load as Mizuho helped him up.

"Yeah, you did look pretty stupid down there." She smiled back at him, ready to face reality.

Blue

This was definitely not what Takako or the rest of the Blue Team expected when they reached the one of ends of the island. She knew good and well that Yutaka's Revenge failed when the last death call rang with Hiroshi and Megumi's names on its lips, but she wouldn't give up hope that it at least concerned the guards enough to leave their posts.

What greeted them where two corpses in prison jumpsuits and a heap of smoke in the distance from where the guards' boat would be. Thoughts of Hiroki entered her head when her eyes came across the first corpse, a large, strong male, shot several times in the chest. She breathed sigh of relief after she ran to his side and looked upon the face of a middle-aged man with graying hair and stout features. Then her regret kicked in. The poor man looked so sad; as if something he wanted so badly was cruelly taken away from him before he got the chance to even act upon it.

"I know how you feel." Takako unknowingly muttered.

"I'm so sorry, Takako." Yuiichiro said putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks." She placed one of her hands over his, savoring the warmth and compassion that had made its way to this cold, heartless island. She just knew he was blushing. As cute as it was (kind of like when ever Hiroki would unconsciously place his index finger against the side of his nose when he was at loss for words), she decided against looking up to avoid embarrassing him.

"Did you know him?"

"Not really. I could just relate to him, that's all." Takako gave one last look at the fallen man before accepting Yuiichiro's help in getting up. _"Hope you find what you're looking for."_

"Any clue on the other one, Mitsu?" He turned to Mistuko who was examining the other body.

"You remember Ai Shirumi?" Mitsuko snuck the white-haired corpse's six-shooter into her bag. Her teammates shook their heads. "From Class A. The one all the seniors called Snowball."

"Because of her white hair, right?"

"Uh, right." Mitsuko rolled her eyes, she just didn't have the heart to tell him that it had more to do with her oral talent with the same nickname than the fact that her hair started going grey at twelve. As amusing as it would've been to see his face when she would obviously have to explain it to him, now was not the time.

Who would've thought Ai's little attempt to protest the school in fear of being drafted into The Program would've lead her here. _"Such a pity."_ She mused as Yuiichiro helped her up. _"I could've used a third girl."_

Even Hirono and Yoshimi were cool with the idea when she revealed her plan on the bus before it gassed them, at least Yoshimi was. Hirono just mock pouted, "Oh and I had my heart set on Mayumi Tendo" and then busted-up laughing. When she thought about it, she was going to miss those two.

"Mitsuko!" Yoshimi's voice drew Mitsuko and her team to the smoking wreck where the guards' boat (complete with two dead guards and a very much alive Yamamoto) lay.

"Yoshimi." Mitsuko mustered up all the cheer she could. Yoshimi, just as loyal as she's always been. Waiting to run to her boss with open arms, a big smile, and her gun drawn out, ready to fire...

End of Chapter 11. 22 Students remain.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 12: Ballad of a Fallen Angel

_"I thought you had my back, thought I knew you __  
__it's clear to me…you'll see…I don't play that game __  
__don't claim to be the same as me, cause you're not __  
__you ain't gotta shot…shot…in this world"_   
-_"Face to Face"_, Tommy Lee

Before anyone react, Yoshimi had already pulled the trigger, launching a bullet that grazed Mitsuko's cheek.

"What the hell?" Mitsuko yelled, holding her freshly cut cheek with her hand.

"You bitch." Yoshimi growled and she kept her gaze and her gun pointed at her, ignoring the fact that Chigusa had already drawn hers.

"Bitch? You're the one who shot me."

"Yoshimi, stop it." Yamamoto grabbed her from behind, trying to wrestle the gun away from her. "This is not the time." He wasn't sure what had ignited this little tiff and judging by Mitsuko's teammates, they didn't have the faintest idea, either, but there was no way he was going to let any more blood be spilt. He could still recall every detail of Ai's horrified face when he shot her in the throat as well as the older man that Yoshimi plugged several holes into. The way he looked up at Yamamoto with the last of his strength, hoping to find something only to die with a disappointed look on his face.

Then there were the two soldiers guarding the boat. Despite all the noise they made, the two men held firm as if nothing happened. Not wanting to tangle with them, Yamamoto decided to throw one of their grenades at them. Now the almost funny part came when he threw the thing a little too far and blew a nice chunk of the boat (rendering it completely useless) along with the two men.

"Let me go." Yoshimi struggled in his arms with little avail.

"There's already been enough death; we don't need to add any more." Yamamoto quickly sighed. _"Sakura would want it that way."_

"He's right." Yuuichiro bravely stepped forward, dropping the ice pick in his hands. "This is what The Program wants." He tried to motion for Chigusa to drop her gun. She opted to lower it a bit instead. 

_"Are you crazy?"_ Chigusa couldn't keep her eyes off of Yuuichiro. It wasn't just his calmness and bravery that got her attention, but the fact that this whole mess was making her head swim, bringing back memories of their face-off with the Yellow Team. Social situations were never her strong suit; hopefully Yuuichiro would escape from this one unscratched.

_"That's my brave boy."_ Mitsuko mused as she watched her Yuiichiro take another step.

"I know you're scared, Yoshimi. So am I." Yoshimi's mood began to darken as she dropped her gun and her gaze. _"Oh God, please let this work."_ Yuuichiro's mind began to flash back to his last ten minutes with the Yellow Team. Except this situation had more corpses and a knife-wielding Megumi was replaced with an emotionally distraught bad girl with a gun. At least Yoshimi was willing to listen to him and had pretty much calmed down even though her hair was obscuring his view of her face.

As much as he hated to admit it, maybe Mitsuko was right and Megumi would've never believed them. He liked to think that it had more to do with the Program's fear-mongering and less with her pride and sharing her dear, sweet "Shinji-Poo." Even if it was the later, he hoped her death was quick, painless and not some bloody mess due to doing something very, very stupid.

"You're right." Yoshimi's voice sounded like nearly all the fire she possessed minutes before was extinguished. She slowly rotated her head towards Mitsuko in a single, jerky movement, easily sensing Chigusa tightening her grip on her gun, but she might as well not have existed. "I wouldn't mind being ditched and raped all over again."

"Mitsu..." Mitsuko could just feel the pedestal Yuuichiro placed under her start to crumble. As clever as he was brave, he could easily figure out what was going on. And deep down, she knew no amount of lying would get him to think other wise.

"Yeah, Mitsuko. Why don't you tell them about how you tried to pimp me and Hirono off to those two sleaze bags."

"Yoshimi, this is not the time or place." Mitsuko said through gritted teeth.

"Well I think it is." Yoshimi chuckled bitterly, turning to the other members of Mitsuko's team. "Oh, you two are going to love this part. Get this, when I dare to not go along, she lets them rape me any way. No matter how hard I cry. No matter how hard I scream, she just tunes me out as if nothing's happening."

"You bitch." Chigusa muttered coldly at Mitsuko. Despite the threat of the ticking time that was Yoshimi's current state, Chigusa was ready to strangle her teammate. Just what she needed, a female Niida in her midst; ready to abuse any girl in her way for her own self-gain. Hopefully, Yuuichiro would cover his eyes when she did it.

"..." More than anything, Mitsuko wanted to kick herself. She had been in worse situations before and was always able to come out without breaking a sweat. Damn that little bitch. Damn her to hell for taking all the words out of her mouth and turning her own team against her.

There was the slight chance that she could still keep Yuuichiro on her side if she fucked enough of his brains out afterwards. Chigusa, on the other hand, was going to be a tougher nut to crack. She still had the save her life\virginity thing to dangle over her head, but for how long. Once Chigusa paid her back, there was no guarantee that she'd stay loyal afterwards.

"That's all you can come up with?" Yoshimi let out another cruel, bitter laugh. "At least Hirono has her "at least I admit that I'm a bitch" bullshit excuse to fall back on."

"It doesn't matter!" Yuuichiro shouted. "Yoshimi, I'm sorry about what happened to you. I really am. But Mitsuko's right, this is not the time or place to be fighting with each other. We need to get out of here. So are you with us or not?"

Yoshimi's face went blank as it turned to a sickly pale. For three almost endless seconds, she stood motionless, trying to absorb everything that went on until every part of her manually shut off, causing her to faint.

"Yoshimi!" Throwing away everything that happened, he ran to her the second she landed on the sand.

"God, you're so fucking naive." Yoshimi laughed, seizing her gun and pointing it right into his forehead.

_"Mitsu, Chigusa, I'm so sorry I let you both down."_ He shut his eyes, hoping for a quick, painless death.

"Aahhhh!" Yoshimi's screams, three gunshots, and the splotch of blood that hit his face forced Yuuichiro's eyes open. Unless there was an unwritten rule that the dead were forced to remain on the site they died for all eternity, it was a safe guess that he was still alive since he hadn't magically vanished from the island. All that had changed was her terrified face, gazing at her bloody, bullet-ridden shooting hand as her teammate rushed to her aid.

Yuuichiro turned to Chigusa. Her normally cold and stoic demeanor couldn't hide that her hands were shaking from firing the gun he bestowed upon her. If things were different, he would've stood in awe of her marksmanship and dragged her into the nearest arcade to see what she could do with the latest House of the Dead game. But it was the brief image of those shaking hands that snapped him out of his moment of childishness and made him want to console her. This was not the robo-bitch that the other kids labeled her as, but a thinking and feeling girl who might be as scared as he was.

"Come on, let's go." Mitsuko said, already turning her back on her former friend.

"What about…"

"They can take care of themselves. Now let's go." She could feel her teammates' perplexed stares at her. Uncharacteristic of her, maybe, but she couldn't let her brave boy lose faith in her yet.

Red & Yellow

When Shuuya asked Shinji why he dubbed his new escape plan the "Yellow Death", all Shinji did was gently laugh as a brief, happy memory came to his mind before snapping back into the cold reality they were thrust into. Aside from this whole Program shit, to Shuuya it felt like old times again; working along side his old friend as they started gathering the materials for the bomb. When he thought about it, the "Yellow Death" was a pretty good idea: fill a minivan with explosives, send it rolling down toward the school, detonate the thing, and while the soldiers were off to inspect the damage, make their escape.

"It's too bad." Shinji unknowingly said out loud as he began hotwiring a mini-van they just found.

"What's too bad?" Shuuya asked.

"That we couldn't get a cuter girl. No offense to Seto, but we got stuck with a dog here."

"Come on, don't you think you're being a little hard." Shuuya leaned against the side of the mini-van. "We can't all be supermodels."

"I know, I know." Shinji sighed, if he wanted a lecture on inner beauty, he'd bring their teacher back to life and shoot off some sexist comment. "But, a dog's still a dog if you ask me."

"I don't know." Shuuya closed his eyes, remembering her comforting smile and the feeling of her thumbs wiping the tears from his eyes. "I think she's very beautiful."

"Uh, Shuuya." Pulling himself from his work, Shinji held three fingers to his friend's face. "How many fingers am I holding?"

He good-naturedly sighed as if Shinji was just some cute, ignorant five-year-old and gently pushed his fingers away. "You just don't get it, do you?"

"No I don't." He said as he got back to his work.

_"Congratulations, Shinji."_ Fujiyoshi thought as she hugged the outside of the garage, listening in on the whole thing. _"You just confirmed my theory that you're a dick."_

She knew it was a horrible thing to think, but as much as it would've infuriated her dear Yutaka and half the girls in her school, it just had to come out. Then again, would they even recognize her if they ever saw her again? Stupid program was hardening her more than she liked to admit. Within two days she had made a crude remark about a man she hardly knew, found a love that was brutally torn away from her, lost half of her friends, fought the urge to strangle both Oda and Kiriyama, witnessed more death than most civilians do in their life time, and now she was calling some boy who she never really liked in the first place a mean word that girls like her would never use. Nice girls are supposed to be balled up in a crawlspace, sobbing their pathetic little eyes out if they saw what she saw.

To hell with that. To hell with all of polite society's concepts of "nice, obedient people." This whole game is just nothing but to keep every single good citizen afraid. She tightened her fists at the realization of them all. _"I swear to God, Shuuya, I'm getting you out of here. Away from this country, away from everything."_

WHITE

"Gods," Inada raised her kitana in the air with both of her hands. "Grant these warriors safe passage into the afterlife." She lowered her weapon, pointing the tip at the bodies of her former teammates that she and Hatagami laid onto the boat.

Sure she knew the whole ceremony reeked of stupid, but it was a safe kind of stupid. The kind of stupid that damped her pain and made her just barely forget about her dead friends and failed attempt to escape. Looking down on Yukie and Sakura's corpses, the bitter reality around her started make cracks in her shield. These weren't even close to the brave warriors she was proclaiming them to be; just two normal girls who met a very grizzly fate. God, she even had to convince Hatagami to fish Yukie's head from the ocean because she was too creped-out to touch it.

Inada sheathed her kitana and turned to Hatagami. "Want to add anything?"

"Just a sec." He dug into Sakura's bag, taking out the purse her beloved Yamamoto bought her. Even though Sakura hardly talked to any other guy, he had his share of how attached she was to that thing.

"Yeah, she'd probably want it that way." Inada couldn't help smiling as he gently tucked the purse into Sakura's arms as if it were a beloved childhood toy before yanking the identification tag off.

"In case we see Yamamoto again." His teammate nodded in agreement as he stuffed the tag in his pocket and went to join her at the end of the boat. Together they pushed the make-shift coffin, hardly saying a word as it gradually sank into the ocean.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." A sad, timid voice snatched their attention.

"Mayumi!" Hatagami cried out as his love, strained with splotches of blood and her own tears ran into his arms. "Thank God, you're still alive."

"I was so worried I wouldn't see you again." She buried her head into his chest as he stroked the back of her head.

"Hey, where's Shou?" Mayumi looked up at Inada; disappointed that she was the only other survivor.

"The Program got him." Once again, Mayumi forced herself to cry as she brought up the memory.

Looking back at it, it was a selfish, if not foolhardy thing to do to sacrifice her attempt to leave the island. Then again, if she never noticed the two men in camouflage gear waiting in the bushes, she probably still would've went along with Yukie's silly little dream. But there was one thing holding her back, the possibility that Hirono might win the game.

As much time had past, the Pink Team was fortunate enough to have only lost one member and even if they never met again, Hirono might let her sordid past out for the rest of the world to hear. If this game was going to kill her, Mayumi vowed that she would die without any regrets. And that's why Shou had to go.

Ah, it did her heart good to see him stumble and get plugged with a few rounds when she shoved him with all her might as soon as they got close enough to draw the two men's fire. The painful grunt he let out when the bullets ripped through him made her smile; sacrificing her chance to escape was so worth it.

"Mayumi..." Shou coughed up a spot of blood as he spoke, too concerned with his wounds and the looming figure making it's way toward him to realize how the blood was clashing with his uniform. "Help me."

"Uh, no." She chirped, playfully holding her hands behind her back, musing over his sorry state.

"Stop screwing around. They're going to kill us."

"You should've kept your mouth shut, Shou." She bent down and took his bag.

"Listen, I'm sorry for trying to blackmail you." Mayumi began humming a happy little tune as she relieved him of his weapons and rations. "Whatever you did, your secret's safe with me."

"Too late." She gave the bag a light toss, causing it to land on his head.

"So that's it?" The lack of blood had sapped him of the ability to push the bag from his face. "You're going to wreck your chance to escape just to let me die?"

"Bye-bye, Shou." Mayumi chirped, waving as if her teammate's grim situation wasn't happening.

"You bitch, get back here." With a skip, she walked off. He wasn't too sure how much time had past, but felt like an eon until he felt a pair of rough hands brush against his face as they lifted the bag from his face. An optimistic, joking side of him wanted to believe it was a sexy boy angel sent to remove him from this mortal coil. That was until he saw that familiar smirk upon his guest's eye-patch-wearing face. "Jaguar."

"Glad you remembered me." His former gym teacher placed one of his heavy boots upon Shou's torn and bloody chest. Shou struggled to talk, but the pressure on his chest only allowed a few spots of blood to come out. "Let's just say that it pays to have a brother-in-law working for The Program."

"Stop it, you're hurting him." Jaguar's partner, a kind-looking man in his late thirties, yelled out as the judoist sunk his foot in further.

"Fuck off, Soma." He turned and pointed his gun at his partner. "This is between me and the fag here." Shutting the other man up, he returned to Shou. "You see, when I found out your class was going to be drafted, I pulled a few strings to make sure I was there to see your boss croak." He briefly pointed to his eye patch during the last four words. "I would've liked to have killed him myself, but I'll just have to go to send that Yuko girl's family a nice bottle of wine after the game's over."

"F...fuck...y..." A final bullet was unloaded into Shou's head before he could even finish.

"I know you must think I'm a coward," Mayumi removed her face from Hatagami's chest. "But I had to warn you."

"It's ok." Hatagami wiped her tears away with the edge of his sleeve. "We might've lost you if you stayed."

"Thank you." She gently kissed him on the lips. "You know always know how to cheer me up."

PURPLE

"Yamamoto!" Yoshimi shouted, scurrying through the warehouse her teammate ran into. "Yamamoto!"

It was bound to happen sooner or later. The latest death call rang inside her head, "Girl #4 Sakura Ogawa, Boy #14 Shou Tsukioda, and Girl #2 Yukie Utsumi." But the when she heard Kamon's cruel laugh as he uttered the words, "You didn't think we'd let you kids escape that easily", it sent a sickening chill up her spine that almost made her vomit.

"There you are." Yamamoto said dully when she finally found him with his back to her, standing near a corner.

"Oh Yamamoto, thank God." Pushing aside her past fear, she ran over to hug him until he turned around. "What the hell is that?" She pointed at the noose he made with rope that was once resting on a shelf next to him.

"I've been doing some thinking." Those delightful brown eyes of his were now devoid of the sparkle that she had grown to love. The color was still there, but all that remained was dead within seconds of hearing Sakura's name. "We can still escape." He held out the noose, giving Yoshimi a better look. "I can make one for you." All she could do was stare blankly at both him and his offer. "It doesn't take long. You'll get to be with Yoji again." He saw a few tears run down her eyes as she slowly raised her right hand toward him and slapped him as hard as she could.

"You idiot!" She screamed ignoring the pain the slap caused her injured hand. "Do you think you're the only one who's hurting?"

"I…"

"You know how many times I've tried to put Yoji's gun to my head and blow my brains out when you weren't looking?"

"…."

Yoshimi let out an angry sigh. "It's always like that with you "good people." You talk a good deal, but when it comes down to it, you're just as selfish as the scumbags you look down on." A long-suppressed memory began to come back to her. "Not like your precious Sakura was any better."

"And you don't think she felt bad about that?" He snapped back.

She just quietly gazed back at him. It was about nine months ago back in the eighth grade when it all started. One of Sakura's friends and lab partner was suck in bed with mono and since Yoshimi had already finished her circuit breaker, she offered Sakura her help. Being that this was before Yoshimi became the bad girl that the other girls would grow to hate and fear; she happily offered her help and the friendship the followed. Despite being too poor to afford most of the trends that Sakura's friends chased after, Yoshimi made up for it in her overall good cheer and desire to see anyone who called her friend happy.

"She told me everything, Yoshimi. How she wished she had the guts to stop those girls from hurting you."

Yoshimi shivered at the memory. About a month after their friendship started, it came to an abrupt end when Sakura's other friends came into visit the two of them in girl's bathroom.

"What are you doing here?" Hana, the leader of Sakura's cliché, nearly spat words as her and the other girls crowded around Yoshimi as she brushed her hair.

"Picking my nose, what does it look like?" She forced her attention on getting her cheap black comb wet. She had enough of their nasty, disapproving looks every time she joined Sakura at lunch.

"Well we don't like you." Fumi added, putting her hands to her hips. "You're trash."

Yoshimi bit the insides of her cheeks to keep in every nasty comment she wanted to launch at them. She just knew Sakura would never forgive her if she called them the bitches she knew they were.

"Let's dump her with the rest of the garbage."

"Yeah." The other three girls said together as Fumi and Hana each grabbed an arm.

"Hey, let me go." Yoshimi tried to pull away to no avail. "Sakura! Do something." She turned to the stall her friend was occupying, but she might as well not been there. Even if the other girls' laughter hadn't filled the room as they threw her against the trashcan and dumped the contents on her head, she still wouldn't have heard a peep from Sakura. That was until the coast was clear and she came out of the stall with some toilet paper to wipe any mess or tears Yoshimi had on her only to realize that she was already gone.

"Then why didn't she say anything?" Back in the present Yoshimi stood there, demanding an answer.

"Because she was scared."

"Scared of Mitsuko or scared of what her friends would think?"

"Scared of you rejecting her." He sighed. "I know, I know. It's a pretty lousy excuse, but she never gave up hope on you."

Yoshimi's sad little smile was the only answer he needed.

Taking a disgusted look at the noose in his hands, he threw it aside. "You're right; killing ourselves is not going to solve anything." He took her by the hand as a slight bit of that earlier sparkle in his eyes began to return. "It may not be fair to the others, but we can still make it out of here."

"That's all I wanted to hear."

He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly as she rested her head on his shoulder and hugged back. Sakura was gone, but Yoshimi was still in the land of the living along with him. He was there to comfort her when her beloved Yoji was killed and she was there to slap some sense into him when it was his turn to mourn. Even with all the lives that were tragically cut short around him, he was ready to face a hundred more just to live.

End of Chapter 12. 22 Students remain.


End file.
